Allan Murdock McKay has been reunited with his love, Barbara, as he peacefully left this world at age 89 in Fort Frances, Ontario on Monday, June 6, 2016. Allan was born on March 22,1927 in Burris, Ontario 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 stepbrothers 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 license when he was fourteen so that 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 fifteen years of work he was employed with the Ministry of Transportation.
Allan married Pearl Westerby and they had four children together: 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 humor 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 traveling 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 would also 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.
His parents Murdock and Elizabeth McKay; wife Barbara, four brothers Kenneth, William, Norman, Fraser, and James McKay; and two sisters, Katherine Norris and Margret McKay, predeceased Allan.
Allan is survived by his children Glenda Richert of Edmonton, Alberta, Jennifer Sarnosky of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Kathy McAllister of Norwood, Ontario and Tom (Helen) McKay of London, Ontario, and step children Ken Carmody of Fort Frances, Ontario, Chris (Linda) Carmody of Emo, Ontario and Carolyn (John) of Thunder Bay, Ontario, siblings Marie Lawres, Marion Humphrey, Loretta Ivanowich, Wayne (Doreen) McKay, and Dale McKay all of Fort Frances, Ontario, and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at Greens Funeral Home in Fort Frances on Friday, June 10, 2016 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made on Allan’s behalf to the Alzheimer’s Society of Ontario or the Canadian Cancer Society.