Mary Mackay

Mary Margaret MacKay, 87, of Willard passed away on Thursday, October 28, 2004 just two days before her 88th birthday. She was born on October 30, 1916, the daughter of David & Edna (Marshall) Collie at Ismay, Montana. She grew up and attended schools at McKenzie and Ismay, graduating from the Plevna High School in 1935. While in high school, Mary played ?center? for the girls basketball team and was very active in 4-H, after graduating, she worked odd jobs for people in the county. Mary went to Wisconsin for one year where she worked for her family on the dairy farm. Upon returning from Wisconsin, Mary and Arthur ?Bud? MacKay began courting and soon were married on June 1, 1940. The families had always been good friends and neighbors to each other. They lived on the Fulton Ranch until moving to the MacKay ranch where they raised their family and lived there since. Mary could always make due for the seven children in a two room house for most of the years. In 1962 Bud and Mary built a new home with running water, which made everyone very happy, especially Mary. Along with the home, Mary worked outside the house, doing chores, gardening and with the help of the children, milked eight head of cows. She especially enjoyed the gardening, tending her chickens and giving the produce to family and friends as well as quilting and darning. Mary was very devoted to her children as well as keeping in touch with family and friends. She wrote letters almost every day to someone. Mary was very good at writing in her diary and it often served as a record for the ranch. You would never leave her home without her saying ?Thank-You kindly?. You will never find a better mother than ?Mom?. Survivors include, three sons, Jimmy (Vivian) MacKay, Ekalaka, John (Carolyn) MacKay Cypress, CA and Donald (Laurie) MacKay, Willard; four daughters, Mary M. Ketchum, Plevna; Betty Whitney, Willard, Carol (Dolan) Dyke and Edith MacKay both of Baker; a brother, Alex (Lois) Collie, Ismay; three sisters, Daisy (Walt) McManey, Hardin, Vivian Celander, Baker and Goldie Sparks, Plevna; fourteen grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Bud, a son-in-law, Stanley Ketchum and a brother, David Collie.


Burial Date: November 1, 2004
Funeral Home Baker, MT

Funeral Service: Monday, American Lutheran Church