Keith Robert McKay – father, grandfather, brother, uncle, nephew and friend – passed away
peacefully in the Barrhead Healthcare Centre on December 27th 2020.
Keith was born June 27th 1954 to Robert and Audrey McKay in Edmonton, Alberta where he
grew up with his three sisters Wendy, Marti, and Julie and brother Terry.
Keith attended Jasper Place Composite Highschool, where he enjoyed swimming and
competed in high dive. This is also where he met his future wife Laurie.
During and after highschool he volunteered with the Walterdale Theater Company, as well as
various other theaters and community league shows, working on the audio visual (AV) parts of
their productions. His AV talents re-emerged later in life when he would take care of the
soundtrack for many community hall dances that were part of weekends away with the trailer
club.
Keith married Laurie on July 14th 1973. Keith and Laurie started life together living in West
Edmonton eventually moving out to Spruce Grove. Keith’s son Joel was born in 1985, and his
daughter Jessie was born in 1991.
Keith had many self taught talents including his ability to draw and draft many things,
mechanical aptitude, and later in life an ability to build and even program computers just to
name a few. These talents helped him throughout his life working for various companies in
different positions including – Nicholson Chevrolet as a parts man, Artmet as a draftsman,
Western Carpet Distributors in inventory management, and Dell Computers and Slejax in tech
support.
During the 1970s and 80s many weekends involved traveling with the Overlanders Trailer Club
where many lasting friendships were made. Weekends away with those friends and family that
joined in the fun of traveling with the club included campfires, bbqs, sometimes a round of golf,
and those community hall dances that he would provide the soundtracks for.
Camping and fishing trips with family and friends from Westcove to Maligne Lake and other
places around Alberta provided many humorous adventures and stories to be remembered and
shared.
Those who knew Keith for more than a few minutes know he was also a lover of golf. Whether it
was playing with work mates, friends, or family he was happy on a golf course with good
company, even if it involved a few curses and a thrown club or two. He even enjoyed, for
reasons inexplicable to many of us, watching golf on TV and could tell you what tournaments
were being played and how the top players were doing.
When able he was always willing to help someone else in need putting those self taught talents
to work. This meant many things from building projects including an addition on the house he
grew up in to helping put a new dock in at a friends place after falling through the old rotting
one. It often meant computer wizardry for friends and family that had no idea why it was doing
whatever it was doing right before it stopped working altogether.
Those that were closest to Keith know that he struggled with addiction and mental health
throughout life. Sadly Keith was unable to overcome those struggles and they impacted his life
gravely. Ultimately Keith was unable to embrace the professional help needed to recover from
his struggles. It is his family’s wish that those wanting to honour Keith’s memory, and able to,
make donations to the organizations listed below in support of addiction recovery and mental
health in the sincere hope that others may overcome their struggles. The family also
encourages anyone struggling with issues of addiction and mental health to reach out to those
organizations listed or the multitude of other resources available and get the help necessary to
overcome and recover from their struggles.
Keith will be remembered and missed by many family and friends. Remember and share the
stories of those memories of when he was able to help you out, on the golf course, camping and
fishing, and so many more.
Memorial donations may be made to;
Our House Addictions and Recovery Centre:
● monetary donations – www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/11034
● Other donations – ourhouseedmonton.com/support-us
Mental Health Canada:
● monetary donations – alberta.cmha.ca/get-involved/donate/
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Keith Robert McKay, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Keith Robert McKay June 27 1954 December 27 2020..
Park Place Funeral Home Chapel & Crematorium Ltd
Death notice for the town of: Sherwood Park, Province: Alberta