Luverne Danuser McKee

“One day I’ll be sleeping when death knocks on my door, and I’ll awake and find that I’m not homesick anymore, ‘cause I’ll be home. I’ll be home where I belong”

(from “Home Where I Belong” by Pat Terry)

Luverne “Lonny” Danuser McKee, 97, of Florence, SC, passed to her eternal home on November 1, 2026. Lonny was born on February 13, 1929 near Marion, ND to Cyrus O and Josephine Solberg Danuser. She grew up on the prairie at Good Hope Farm. Her early schooling was at the local one room schoolhouse. She graduated from Jamestown (ND) High School in 1946 and Jamestown College in 1950 with a major in Spanish and a minor in English. Her life story was featured in an article in Horizon Magazine in North Dakota.

Lonny and Norman “Skinner” McKee were married in October 1950 and moved to SC. Lonny was baptized in 1953 at First Baptist Church of Darlington. She served her Lord in many capacities: wife, mother, grandmother, sister, teacher, singer, pianist, and comforter.

Lonny taught Spanish and English at Moore Middle School in Florence for 21 years. She was a founding member of the Palmetto State Teachers’ Association. She enjoyed fellowship with fellow Moore retirees in the SOS group.

Lonny is survived by her children: Dr. Michael (Julie) McKee of Winston-Salem, NC; Beverly Lee McKee (widow of her son, Dr. John McKee) of Florence, SC; Myra (Michael) McKee Taylor of Winona Lake, IN; and Julie Danuser McKee of Florence, SC. She has 11 grandchildren: John David (Heather) McKee of Greer, SC; Adrianne (Ryan) McKee Mowatt of Raleigh, NC; Rachel (John) Taylor Stangland of Warsaw, IN; Rebekah (Paul) Taylor Dreisbach of Portland, OR; Katherine McKee Wean of Winston-Salem, NC; Stephen McKee of Winston-Salem, NC; Dr. Christopher (Sarah) McKee of Charleston, SC; Kristen (José) Taylor Garcia of Warsaw, IN; Joanna Taylor of Simpsonville, SC; Cody Treadaway of Angier, NC; Samantha Mahaffey of Wake Forest, NC. Lonny also has 11 great grandchildren: José (Renee) Garcia, Alex Garcia, Ali Garcia, Sophia Stangland, Yann Konan, Ethan Garcia, Benji Garcia, Kinley Stangland, Caroline Wean, Filo Garcia, and Oliver Mowatt.

Lonny was preceded in death by her husband, Skinner, her parents, her 4 siblings, her son, John and her son-in-law, Edward Lee (Julie).

Lonny had been a member of many local Baptist churches as she and Skinner served in interim capacities. She has spent her last years back at Evergreen Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Three Strands (medical mission in the Central African Republic and in Haiti) at Three Strands PO Box 753 Winona Lake, IN 46590 or to Talking Book Services at Talking Book Services 1500 Senate St. Columbia, SC 29201.

The family will receive friends and family at Evergreen Baptist Church, 6316 Pamplico Hwy, Effingham, SC on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM with the service to follow at 2:00 PM.

Burial will follow at the church cemetery after the service.