Allan Murdock McKay has been reunited with his love, Barbara, as he peacefully left this world, at age 89, on Monday, June 6, 2016 in Fort Frances, Ont.
Allan was born March 22,1927 in Burriss, Ont. to Murdock and Elizabeth McKay.
He had been born into a large family as his father had seven children in his first marriage. Murdock remarried after his first wife died and had six more children, of which Allan was the third-born.
Although there were step-brothers and sisters, Allan loved every one of them equally.
Allan started work at an early age driving a tractor on the farm and assisting a neighboring farmer. He obtained his first licence when he was 14 so he could do so.
He worked on many jobs in the Rainy River, Kenora, and Thunder Bay districts. He was an excellent heavy-equipment operator and took good care of the machines he operated.
In his last 15 years of work, he was employed with the Ministry of Transportation.
Allan married Pearl Westerby and together they had four children, Glenda, Jennifer, Kathy, and Tom. Allan later married Barbara Carmody (Gregory) and gained three stepchildren, Ken, Chris, and Carolyn.
Allan had a good sense of humour that sometimes hid his caring nature. He loved the outdoors and couldn’t wait for winter to end so that he and Barb could go travelling and camping.
He often drove to western Canada to visit with his brother, Bill, and along the way visit with Barb’s family in Saskatchewan. He also would stop along the way so that he and Barb could just sit, rest, enjoy the outdoors, enjoy each other, and live in their trailer.
Allan had a strong sense of family. He loved his brothers and sisters, and would spend many dinners together celebrating various occasions. He also enjoyed assisting in the planning of family weekends and really enjoyed the McKay family reunions. Most of his children would be there, and his face beamed at having them around him!
Other than his wife, Barb, his pride and joy were his children and although, of course, he never saw them as often as he would have liked, he always spoke highly of them. Many of his trips were planned so that he could visit them along the way.
Allan was predeceased by his parents, Murdock and Elizabeth McKay; wife, Barbara; five brothers, Kenneth, William, Norman, Fraser, and James McKay; and two sisters, Katherine Norris and Margret McKay.
Allan is survived by his children, Glenda Richert of Edmonton, Alta., Jennifer Sarnosky of Sherwood Park, Alta., Kathy McAllister of Norwood, Ont., and Tom (Helen) McKay of London, Ont.; and stepchildren, Ken Carmody of Fort Frances, Ont., Chris (Linda) Carmody of Emo, Ont., and Carolyn (John) of Thunder Bay, Ont.
He also is survived by his siblings, Marie Lawres, Marion Humphrey, Loretta Ivanowich, Wayne (Doreen) McKay, and Dale McKay, all of Fort Frances, Ont.; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Friday, June 10, 2016 at 11 a.m. at Green Funeral Home in Fort Frances.
In lieu of flowers, in memoriam donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Ontario or the Canadian Cancer Society.
Online condolences may be offered at www.greenfuneralhomefortfrances.com
ALLAN McKAY
