Levi Todd McKinney was born on a farm, which was bisected by the Warren-Clermont County lines, near the village of Pleasant Plain, Warren County, Ohio. He was the last of six children born to Harmon and Anne Eliza (Felter) McKinney.
He attended the Victor one-room rural school in Harlan Township, Warren County, and the Blanchester High School in Clinton County, graduating in 1909. Upon graduation, he procured a common school teacher’s certificate and taught three years in the Victor rural school. The next three years he taught in the adjoining Level Centralized High School, two years as Principal and the third as Superintendent.
In 1915 he entered the Ohio College of Dental Surgery at Cincinnati, graduating with a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery on June 4, 1918.
Brother McKinney enlisted in the Enlisted Medical Reserve Corp in January 1918. After serving a short time in Dental Company No.1, Camp Greenleaf, Georgia he was discharged in December 1918.
He began the practice of General Dentistry in Richwood, Ohio in February 1919, moved to Dayton December 1921 where he practiced until his retirement in 1957.
On June 4, 1918 Dr. McKinney was married to Minnie Marshall of Clermont County. This union produced two children, a son, Brother Boyd Erwin McKinney and a daughter, Janet (Mrs. Watson Metcalf). They had five Grandchildren and twelve Great Grandchildren. Minnie preceded him in death in 1985.
Doctor and Mrs. McKinney were long time members of the South Park United Methodist Church in Dayton, Ohio. They made their home in Oakwood, a suburb of Dayton, until moving to the Otterbein Home in Lebanon in the early Nineteen Eighties.
He was a member of the Dayton, State and American Dental Societies having served the Dayton Society as its President. He was a past Commander of Post No. 89 of the American Legion; a member of the Mercator Luncheon Club; the Montgomery County Anti-Tuberculosis Society and many other local civic organizations.
Most Worshipful Brother McKinney was made a Master Mason in Blanchester Lodge No. 191 in Blanchester, Ohio on June 6, 1913; dimitted to Mt. Carmel Lodge No. 303 in Richwood, April 1919 where he served as Worshipful Master in 1921-22. He transferred his membership to Conservancy Lodge No. 661 in Dayton, Ohio on May 4, 1923 and served as its treasurer from 1929 until 1941.
Our Brother was made a Royal Arch Mason in Victory Chapter No. 210 on June 30, 1926; received the degrees in Reese Council on May 9, 1928 and was subsequently appointed and elected to the several stations culminating in being elected lllustrious Master in 1936. He served as Treasurer from 1942 to 1948; Knighted in Reed Commandery No.6 in Dayton, Ohio on May 4, 1937.
In the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, lllustrious Brother McKinney became a member of the Valley of Dayton on November 15, 1934; appointed Master of Ceremonies in Dayton Consistory, 1938; elected to the various offices and was installed Commander-in-Chief in 1947.
He was created an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council 33°, at Boston, September 23, 1942.
Dr. McKinney was crowned an active member of the Supreme Council in 1950 and was installed as the Deputy for Ohio in September of 1956. He served in that capacity until September of 1977 when he was granted Emeritus status.
In the Grand Lodge of Ohio, Most Worshipful Brother McKinney was appointed District Lecturer (District Deputy Grand Master) for the Second Masonic District by Most Worshipful Brother E. Raymond Arn, Grand Master, in October 1935, which office he held until October, 1941. He was then appointed Junior Grand Deacon by Most Worshipful Brother Charles B. Hoffman. In the years to follow, he was appointed Senior Grand Deacon, Grand Marshal, and Grand Orator. In 1945, Most Worshipful Brother McKinney was elected Junior Grand Warden, Senior Grand Warden in 1946, Deputy Grand Master in 1947 and was elected and installed Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Ohio at Columbus, October 21, 1948.
In the forty-seven years that followed, Most Worshipful and lllustrious Brother Levi Todd McKinney served the Masonic Fraternity with great fervency and zeal. He was the ultimate counselor, advisor, and critic to many who followed. His wealth of knowledge and recall will be sorely missed in every area of Masonry.
Most Worshipful Brother Levi Todd McKinney passed away on October 19, 1995 in Lebanon, Ohio. Funeral Services were held on October 25, 1995 at Routsong Funeral Home in Dayton, Ohio. He was laid to rest in David’s Cemetery, Far Hills Ave. in Kettering, Ohio. He was 104 years old.