JOYCE EZZELL McKINLEY, Age 77, a resident of Bertrand, died Thursday, January 10, 2013 at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.



Born March 2, 1935, at Red Bay, Alabama, to the late Charles V. and Effie P. Mitchell Ezzell, she had lived in Bertrand most of her life where she was a member of the Bertrand United Methodist Church. She began her career with the United States Postal Service as a rural route carrier and then worked in Charleston as the first female letter carrier before becoming the Postmaster at the Bertrand Post Office.



On May 7, 1954, she married Horace Lee McKinley, who preceded her in death on August 11, 1997.



Surviving are: one son and daughter in law, Allen and Phyllis McKinley of Dogwood; two brothers, Charles Mitchell Ezzell of Whitewater and Jack D. Ezzell of Cape Girardeau; two sisters, Jeanette Kalman of Lawrence, KS and Betty Gilbert of Alton, IL; four grandchildren, Christy McKinley and Joshua McKinley of Benton; Charles Ryan(Leslie) McKinley of Charleston and Tara Dawn McKinley of East Prairie; five great grandchildren, Taylor Abigail Dorris, Wyatt Preston Dorris, Cooper Lance McKinley, Colton Wade McKinley and Charles Layne McKinley.



One son, Preston Lee McKinley, and one brother James H. Ezzell, preceded her in death.



Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, January 11, 2013 at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston where Funeral Services will be conducted at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 12, 2013. The Rev. Lois McRill, pastor of the Bertrand United Methodist Church, will officiate.



Interment will follow in the Dogwood Cemetery under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home.



Pallbearers will be: Ryan McKinley, Josh McKinley, Forrest Stidham, Dave Ezzell, Clayton Tackett and Stephen Hicks.



Honorary pallbearers will be: Bob Johnson, Joe Johnson, Danny Stidham, Ben Johnson, Charles Lee McKinley, Ken Bowman and David Pemberton.