Ramona Reames Mackinnon

Ramona Reames Mackinnon died October 2, 2022, in Phoenix, AZ, where she had recently moved with her husband Howard. She was 83. Ramona was born and grew up in Albany, GA, the daughter of the late James and Katie Reames. Howard and Ramona would have celebrated 62 years of marriage this December. The couple married right after Ramona received her RN from Piedmont Hospital School of Nursing in 1959, a member of the first class to graduate from the hospital. Soon after they married, the couple they moved to Panama where Howard served as a naval officer. After leaving the Navy, the couple lived in MN, FL and NC before settling in Savannah. Though trained as a nurse, Ramona was also an extremely talented artist with a strong aesthetic sense. While Howard’s career took the couple to several different states, wherever they lived, Ramona created a beautiful home. When she was asked to have her historic home in Savannah on a Christmas house tour, Ramona thought the home needed some “ancestor paintings.” So she painted some dignified and beautiful portraits of relatives! She also studied iconography in Russia and later taught iconography at Kanuga, the Episcopal Conference Center in NC. Some of her icons are still displayed in churches where she gave them as gifts. In April, Howard and Ramona moved to Phoenix AZ to be near her daughter and family. Soon after that move, the cancer she had survived more than ten years earlier recurred. She died with her much loved husband at her side. She is survived by her 4 children and 9 adored grandchildren all of whom had good visits with her before her death. Survivors include her husband, William Howard Mackinnon, brother, James Robert Reames “Bubba; her children, Heather Zellers (“Z”), Kevin Mackinnon (Iantha), Kyle Mackinnon (Shelly) and Adam Mackinnon(Jan); and nine grandchildren – Scott, Haley, Lainey, Jack, Calan, Brody and Caroline - all Mackinnons and Claire and John Zellers. A Celebration of Ramona’s life will be held at 10:30 AM Friday, November 4th at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Winter Park, Florida. In lieu of flowers, those who wish to remember Ramona in a special way, may make gifts in her memory to All Saints Church, 338 E. Lyman Avenue, Winter Park, Fl 32789.