27 September 2019 - Oxford, Ohio: On the 21st of September, Farris Laverne “Mac” McKinley, Oklahoma State ’51, entered chapter eternal.

Mac was inducted into the Phi Tau Hall of Fame in 2006 at the Centennial celebration. He was also a recipient of the Phi Award in 1964 and the Palm Award in 2013. He served as a Domain Director, National Councilor, National Vice President, and National President in the 60s-70s. As a Distinguished Trustee and Chairman on the Foundation, he was active within the Fraternity into his 80s.

Director of Philanthropy Charlie Ball, Miami ’82, shares about Mac:

At Oklahoma State, in addition to Phi Kappa Tau, he was a member of the ROTC Cadet Officers Club, Sigma Tau engineering honorary and the American Institute of Architects and the Beaux-Arts Society architectural organizations.

Mac served as national president from 1977-1979. He had been vice president to Ted Marye from 1975-1977. He served in the leadership of the fraternity during some of our most challenging economic times when the popularity of fraternities was at a low point. Mac’s leadership was instrumental in helping the Fraternity establish prosperity as the 1980’s emerged.

Mac was an architectural engineer. He worked first for Skelly Oil Company in Tulsa and later for Coston, Frankfurt, Short, & McKinley Architectural Firm on Oklahoma City, for which he was a partner.

According to his obituary, Mac was a modest Christian who enjoyed music, literature, the arts, and sports. Above all the roles he served – he was most happy to be known as a mentor and a friend to his Brothers

His full obituary can be read here: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/203240920/farris-laverne-mckinley