Kenneth McKAY

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McKAY: Kenneth Ralph. Kenneth passed away at Fairview Home in Brandon on May 26th, 2014 at the age of 88 years. He leaves to mourn his passing his beloved wife of 66 years, Margaret; his son Colin (Pat) and grandsons Chris (Signe and great-granddaughter Kate), and Kevin (Heather and Jada); his son Ian (Donna) and grandsons Gordon (Stephanie) and Michael. He also leaves to mourn numerous nieces and nephews. Kenneth was predeceased by his father David in 1944 and his mother Helen in 1981. He was also predeceased by his brother Robert (Bert) in 2000 and sister-in-law Florence in 2007, and by twin brothers James and Lloyd, who died in infancy in Scotland. Ken was born on February 8, 1926 at Boissevain. In the spring of 1932 the family moved to their present location just south of Brandon at SE 34-8-19. Ken went to school at Hayfield School which was across the road from where Colin and Pat now farm. In later years, Ken’s name became even shorter, known to many as K.R. On July 16, 1947 Ken married Margaret Hull and they started their life on the family farm. Their first farm consisted of a half section. At that time, Bert was running a gravel business and so Ken worked with Bert driving a gravel truck. As time went on the land base at the farm got bigger and Ken quit trucking to farm full time. Ken liked any type of field work but he enjoyed the harvest season and running a combine the most. If his crop got finished first, then he would go and help some neighbors. Ken and Marg enjoyed a few short trips but they had to be short because Ken didn’t want to be away from the farm very long. Ken and Marg loved to dance - and that is how their romance and nearly 67 years of marriage together began. They met at a dance at Riverside and then spent many, many years enjoying the dances at Riverside, Carroll, Souris, Clear Lake and most recently, the Booster Club in Brandon. Once a month on a Saturday night, Ken and Marg would go to the Booster Dance joined by many friends and neighbors. That was the only thing his family can remember that was more important than farming that evening!!! Mom and Dad moved into Brandon in the fall of 2001 after Dad became ill. In 2003 he moved into Fairview Home. It was here that all the staff became our extended family. Dad had wonderful, caring people around him every day since then, and words cannot express how much we appreciated it. Ken passed away peacefully and painlessly on May 26th, 2014 with Mom by his side. Service was held at Brockie Donovan Chapel on June 2, 2014 with Rev. Dr. Dong-Ha Kim officiating. The soloist was Sandy Jasper. The active pallbearers were all family of close neighbors and friends - Howard Anderson, Bill Scott, Doug Denning, Doug Chalmers, Don Couling and Ed Fardoe. Interment was in Brandon Cemetery. Lunch followed at Central United Church Auditorium. Donations in memory of Ken may be made to Crohn’s & Colitis Canada, Box 21047, Brandon, MB, R7B 3W8 or BRHC Foundation “Murray House Cancer Treatment Residence”, 150 McTavish Ave. East, Brandon, MB, R7A 2B3.

As published in Brandon Sun on Aug 23, 2014