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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Beloved businessman, friend, husband and father Mark McKinnon made an impact around the Chilton County community in everything he did. That impact affected thousands of lives for the better, and will be felt for decades into the future here in Chilton County.

The community made their presence felt while showing their respects at McKinnon’s funeral on Dec. 8 that had hundreds of attendees. It was images like that that proved McKinnon’s far-reaching impact locally that everyone appreciated.

“Mark was always a pivotal part of the Chilton County community ever since I began working here in 2022,” Carey Reeder, Managing Editor at The Clanton Advertiser, said. “Every fundraiser I attended Mark was there, and every time I would cover a story about community support it seemed like McKinnon Toyota Nissan was involved with Mark leading the way. That was just the kind of guy he was, and I think it would take a full year of research to actually uncover every single way he helped support this community from top to bottom. He just did that much for everyone, and he will be dearly missed.”

McKinnon’s impact stretched from intimate levels like helping people get into a new car during a dire time in their lives at his dealership, to bigger levels like creating scholarships for Chilton County Schools students to further their education. He was always trying to offer up assistance in some way, and those types of people do not come around very often.

While deciding how to best honor McKinnon following his passing, The Clanton Advertiser and its staff decided that the community he impacted would be able to encapsulate what he meant to everyone around better than anyone. We spoke with prominent figures, coworkers and friends about their memories of McKinnon to showcase his widespread influence. We offer our thoughts and prayers to the McKinnon Family, McKinnon Toyota Nissan and everyone affected by the passing of Mark McKinnon, and we hope these words offer some comfort to everyone.

 

Jeff Mims, Mayor of Clanton

“People do not realize that did not know Mark personally, but with us knowing Mark like we knew him, he had one big heart. He was always wanting to do stuff for the kids, and me and him did stuff together for the city schools.

He is just a good guy, and now people are going to realize how good he was as far as donating money to the community for this and that. You do not see a lot of people around doing that, and there are quite a few people in Clanton and Chilton County that have money but they were not as free with it as Mark was. That was because of his heart. Mark was trying his best every way in the world to do things for the community and make it better.

We worked on things with the city and property, and he was not going to sell some of his property just to anybody. He would always call me, and we would sit down and see what we would do and if it would be a good thing for Clanton. A lot of people would just sell it to get the money, but Mark always wondered what would be best for Clanton. He was just that kind of guy, and you could not beat him. His impact … People are going to feel that from now till years down the road, they will be talking about Mark McKinnon. We are going to miss him.”

 

Corey Clements, Superintendent of Chilton County Schools

“I do not make friends real easily, and I did not know Mark well until I took this position, but just in the short time we have known each other we have gotten to become really good friends. He was a good friend to me, someone you could talk to and always wanted to do stuff.

He would bring breakfast for our whole central office staff, he would bring us lunch for 30 people and no one would ask him. He would just call and say ‘Hey, I am about to show up with Chick-Fil-a’ or ‘I am about to show up with Neighborhood Grill.’ Just always wanting to do things for people, and that is just small things.

It was his idea to start the educational scholarship for our local students who want to pursue a career in education, he set up a scholarship program for our career tech students that wanted to go on and get further credentials or a two-year degree and he was so involved at the Clanton schools and giving extra money to the Gridiron Club (at Chilton County High School) and teachers for extra supplies. Just always going above and beyond with no strings attached, and never asking for things in return.”

 

Mike King, Executive Director of Raleigh’s Place

“In the nonprofit world, there is a term that is often used to describe your biggest supporters — Champions. Mark McKinnon was a Champion for Raleigh’s Place. The mission of Raleigh’s Place is simply to Live the Gospel by Loving the Fatherless. Our desire is to love and serve foster children and families in as many ways and as best as we can. Mark understood that mission in his own life. Not only did he support our ministry financially, but he served as a long-time foster parent himself. He and his wife, Brandi, have been a huge blessing to us and the many children served because of them. Mark leaves behind quite a legacy. I am happy to have called him a friend.”

 

Rachel Martin, Executive Director of Chilton County Chamber of Commerce

“I’ve always heard people say ‘You can be replaced at your job and in your community. The only place you are irreplaceable is in your home.’ That is not the case with Mark McKinnon. He was, and is, irreplaceable in Chilton County. Mark had a true servant’s heart. Whether it be offering a helping hand to set up for an event, a listening ear, telling a funny story or sponsoring a community event, Mark was always the first to jump in and support his community. He did so much behind the scenes that everyone didn’t realize because he didn’t do it for the recognition, he did it because he loved his community and the people in it. Mark was my friend and I’m thankful for the time we had with him. I’m thankful for his service on the Chilton Chamber board. I’m thankful for the example he set and the legacy he leaves. Mark is irreplaceable, and we will miss him greatly.”

 

This was just a small group of people who were quoted with their lasting impressions of McKinnon. We encourage everyone in Chilton County to share their stories about McKinnon to us, others in the community, on Facebook and every way to continue to remember Mark here in Chilton County.