The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE LIFE OF GORDON ``MACK'' McKINLEY, JR.
______
HON. BRIAN BABIN
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my friend, Gordon ``Mack'' McKinley, Jr., who passed away on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at the age of 72.
Mack and I grew up together in Beaumont, Texas, survived high school together and were roommates and fraternity brothers during college at the University of Texas.
Mack was a guy you could count on in good times and bad times to always have a positive outlook. He learned it through an adversity that terrified the mothers of our generation and left its mark on those who survived it. But Mack was strong and resilient, and he never let polio define him.
He was born on November 14, 1948, in Galveston, Texas, and named after his dad, Gordon McKinley, Sr. He was an only child, but a friend to many.
Like many students at the University of Texas in Austin, Mack fell in love with the city and stayed on after graduation. In 1974, he opened a club called The Common Interest which quickly became a popular hangout and has been an Austin institution for the last 47 years. The Common Interest provided a great gathering place where sports games could be enjoyed with friends, songs could be sung and fun could be had by all, especially Mack, a huge fan of the University of Texas Longhorns.
Mack also fell in love with a girl he met in the Common Interest, named Shannon Wilson, with whom he shared a happy married life for 45 years. Mack and Shannon began their lives together in Austin, Texas in 1976 and were blessed with three sons Michael, Kevin and Brandon. Shannon was the love of his life. He considered her and their family his greatest blessing and his greatest accomplishment throughout his life being a father. He was an enthusiastic fan and supporter of his three boys in the various sports they played. To this day, his son's jerseys still hang with pride on the walls of The Common Interest.
Mack was an avid golfer all his life. A special gift from his sons a few years ago was a trip to the Master's Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
Mack never quit doing things on his own terms, overcoming physical limitations that may have caused others to give up. He accepted life's challenges, he worked hard, he was a loving son, husband, father and grandfather or ``Pops'' as he was known, and he was my lifelong friend and inspiration.
I will miss him.
Mack is survived by his wife, Shannon McKinley, his son Michael McKinley, wife Brie, kids Bodie and Kai, his son Kevin McKinley, wife Candace, kids Kaylee, Kenna, Kensi and Kason, and son Brandon McKinley, wife Amber, kids Dakota and Merritt. Mack is also survived by numerous cousins close to Dallas, Chicago and Nashville.
Madam Speaker, today I honor my close friend and college roommate Mack McKinley. His example of fortitude and strength to overcome obstacles will not be forgotten, and my heartfelt prayers remain with his family and friends during this difficult time.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 203
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