Obituary of Alexander Donald McKay

April 18, 1925 – Moosejaw, Saskatchewan

March 21, 2022 – Calgary, Alberta

The life and times of A.D. McKay, an elegant and distinguished adventurer!

Born in Moose Jaw, the closest big hospital with rail connection to his first home in Assiniboia SK from which the family soon after moved to Indian Head SK, the place that would hold Dad’s earliest experiences and many, many fond memories from his childhood and youth. As a young child those early memories begin with some tough years; the depression and the dirty thirties, a time his carefree and unencumbered mind would see as normal. During these challenging times in the prairies, I have an image of a young boy, who, like every living creature in the prairies, would constantly look to the distant sky for a hint of rain. I would like to think this may have sparked this young prairie boy’s love of travel, for looking up and away, searching for something deeply desired yet not quite formed, could have galvanized dreams of adventure and strange paradises that lie just beyond where the blue sky and bone-dry air meets the interminably brown wind-blown earth.

Dad’s youth was shared with family, his sisters Marjorie, Helen and brother Ian along with his parents John and Myrtle; all, presumably, part of the group of souls welcoming dad on his next journey. Names of close friends were mentioned over the years as well as heavily edited versions of antics, some quite classic, others fairly bizarre (using your shoelaces to snare a badger coming out of its hole...wow that worked now I have to run in bare feet!!).

Another World War interrupted life when Dad was 15; by the time he was old enough to enlist, he did. Although brief, his WWII years were impactful, being part of a British platoon that liberated Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp and being injured when a tank he was communicating with was hit by a missile while in a battle in Netherlands. Luck was on his side; nothing is known about the occupants of the tank.

The war ended and Dad continued his education at UBC where he played on the varsity football team. After graduation he rejoined the army and was stationed to Germany. Part of the preparation for this mission included some time at Val Cartier in Quebec where he met and fell in love with a beautiful young woman, Louise Ouellet. Marriage followed in 1952 at Hanover Germany, quite the voyage for my mother who departed Quebec (for the first time!) by boat and made it to Hanover via many train and ferry connections. My father had promised my mother that he would show her the world, this swept my mother off her feet and so began their life of adventure!

Following Germany, Dad was stationed with the PPCLI in Calgary living very close to where we live now! Life in Calgary was interrupted by another war, this time in Korea, Dad shipped to Korea and Mom went to live with her parents in Quebec City where she gave birth to my sister, Heather in 1953. Dad was injured while on patrol in Korea and convalesced at Hiro, Japan for several months.

On his return to Canada one adventure after another ensued, I was born while we lived in Petawawa ON in ‘55. Dad went to Tanganyika (soon to be Tanzania) for one year training troops with the Kings African Rifles against communist inspired insurgents who would invade across the border with Mozambique. There he acquired the nickname Twiga (giraffe in Swahili). After his year in East Africa Dad met Mom in Hong Kong for a well deserved reunite and travel around Japan and SE Asia. There were times in Japan where young girls would ask my mother for her autograph because of her movie star good looks!

Returning to Canada, still with the military but transitioning to the Federal Government, Mom and Dad set up home in Ottawa and entered a period that saw the formation and growth of incredible friendships that have only strengthened and lasted to this day. Dad was also stationed in Cyprus with the UN peacekeeping for one year; lots of midnight James Bond style letter drops and secret meetings trying to get opposing parties to talk and reason instead of resorting to armed conflict. Luckily for the family we were allowed to visit several times where we had fantastic times scuba diving and touring ancient Greek ruins.

Much pleasure travel, all over the world, during this period was followed by three blissful years in Geneva Switzerland where Dad worked for the UN International Telecommunications Union. Visitors who had the will, spirit and energy were offered room and board with the benefit of Dad and his tour guide skills to take visitors traipsing about any number of European cities to experience local wine, food, traditions and history. Dad was the best tour guide, knowledgeable on historic events and always ready with the perfect quote or poem that captured the moment in a most exacting way.

When Dad’s work in Geneva wound down, he was close to retirement and in a position to move closer to the grandchildren living in Calgary, thus began their Calgary period.

Friendships that had begun in Ottawa in the ‘60’s flourished again in the new century and were extremely important when Mom was diagnosed with, and eventually succumbed to cancer. A very difficult period that would have been unthinkable without the support of dear friends and family.

After Mom, who was the social organizer, passed, Dad gradually surfaced with the help of friends and family, especially Mary Jane with whom Dad once again travelled the world, this time with the help, for the most part, of cruise lines. Dad had a wonderful companion in Mary Jane and together they enjoyed dinners, and experienced exotic locations that most of us only read about.

Dad passed away March 21, 2022, at sunrise, just weeks shy of his 97th birthday. He was predeceased by his wife of 56 years Louise and his daughter Heather. Don is survived by his son Gordon, wife Cheryl and three grandchildren, Reid of Toronto, Lauren of Squamish BC, and Scott of Calgary.

He is deeply missed.

Pursuant to Don’s wishes, recognition of his life will be celebrated privately with family and friends.

In living memory of Alexander McKay, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.