1940-2026
Sharlet A. McKinney, 85, of Ponca City, OK, passed away on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, surrounded by her family at the INTEGRIS Health Ponca City Hospital.
Sharlet was born on March 28th, 1940 in Rocky Comfort, Missouri. She was the first daughter of four children born to Theron and Doris McPhail. The family moved to Wichita, Kansas where her father took a job at Boeing during the post war period.
Her father passed in 1955 from an extended struggle with cancer. By that time the family had grown to 4 with her big brother Mac and two little sisters, Anita and Judy. At 15, with the death of her father, her mother was forced to work to support the family. Sharlet stepped up to support her mom to see to her little sisters. She was a great big sister!
She attended school in Wichita and graduated from East High in 1958. She spent the majority of her career life excelling in car sales in Wichita, working mostly at Schofield Honda and Wild West Chrysler. Her last job was with Smith Temporary Services of Wichita.
Sharlet met Billy Ray McKinney in Arkansas City, Kansas and they married in 1985. Sharlet adored her nieces and nephews but her biggest disappointment in life was never having children of her own. By marrying Billy, she gained the children she had always longed for. Billy had 3 beautiful daughters who became the pride of her life who blessed her with four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Sharlet and Billy began their life together residing in Mulvane, Kansas. Upon retirement they moved to Shell Knob, Missouri where they lived on the lake. Although they loved the lake, after13 years there, they felt the need to be closer to family so they returned to their original area moving to Ponca City, Oklahoma where they remained until her death.
Sharlet loved life and had a tremendous interest in people. Rarely did she go anywhere without meeting someone and learning their life story within a matter of minutes. She had a way of making people open up and share their lives with her. That was the secret in her success in sales. She had a true interest in and empathy for people. She endeared herself to many, even total strangers! She had a beautiful smile and a great laugh. She could be tender and then tough as a cob when necessary. She was truly one of a kind!
Sharlet passed and went to join her many loved ones on March 4th, 2026, just before her 86th birthday. She was preceded in death by her parents, Theron (Mac) McPhail and Doris McPhail Watt, her brother Virgil (Mac) McPhail and his wife Nancy, all of Harper, Kansas, her sister Anita, husband Joseph Stos and son Steve Graves of Great Bend, Kansas.
She is survived by her husband Billy Ray McKinney, her sister Judy and husband Roger Sternberger, stepdaughters Marsha and husband Greg Renn, Tammy and husband Jason Fogg, Monica and husband Scott Varner, grandchildren Austin Renn and wife Katy, Ashley and husband Taylor Zeka, Michael Varner and wife Sara, Brian Varner and husband David, 9 great grandchildren, niece Stephanie and husband Les Miller and their two children Taryn and Braden, Anita’s son and nephew J.C. Stos and Mac’s daughter and niece Lori Lamont.
We are all rejoicing in the reunion Sharlet is having with the family she adored!
Graveside services will be held at 1:00 PM Thursday, March 12th, 2026 at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery in Winfield, Kansas. Memorial contributions in her name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association; donations may be left in the care of the Shelley Family Funeral Home.
