Katharine B MacKay

1948 - 2014
Katharine B. MacKay (Katy or KT) of Manhattan, died in the evening of September 30, 2014 in New York City. She was 66.

As a child of a career Naval officer, Katy and her family moved numerous times, spending her more formative years in Scituate, Massachusetts. As a college sophomore, Katy was in a car accident resulting in the loss of use of her legs. Refusing to be defined by this event, she forged ahead with exceptional determination, resilience, humor and resourcefulness. After graduating from St. Lawrence University in 1970, she carved for herself an extraordinary and fulfilling life of public service, becoming one of New York's most respected and admired public servants.

As a life-long active alumna of St. Lawrence, Katy was elected Alumni Trustee in 1986, then Term Trustee in 1992. Among her trustee leadership roles were chair of the Student Life Committee, the Information Technology Committee, and the Planning Committee. She was a member of the Alumni Executive Council, the President's Associates Membership Committee, and the planning co-chair for her 30th, 35th and 40th class reunions. She was co-chair for the "Laurentians" reunions, a renowned a cappella singing group of which she was a member as a student. Most of all, she loved meeting and mentoring students as a career advisor. She established the Katy MacKay University Fellowship Fund to support student research.

Beginning her public service right out of college, Katy worked for the Director of the Massachusetts Department of Human Services. She was subsequently recruited to serve with the Director of New York State's Budget Division during the State's fiscal crisis and near default of New York City in 1975. She then became Assistant Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, first serving as AED/State Relations and later as Chief Administrative Officer. Katy retired from a quarter-century career of public service in 2003.

During her career, she served as a member of the Board of Directors of CICU, including as Chair of its Nominating Committee of the Board. Katy was a member and past Chair of WITS, a women's investment partnership. She also served on the Board of Directors of her cooperative apartment building, the Advisory Board of Hostelling International-New York, the Advisory Council for the Disabled for the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, the Governor's Advisory Council on the Disabled, and as a charter member of the Center for Women in Government in Albany.

Katy consistently conducted her remarkable life with inspirational integrity, strength, purpose and always with a welcoming smile. It was as though she was the only person who didn't realize she was a wheelchair user.

Katy is survived by her brother, Robert T. MacKay, Jr. of Los Angeles, California.

A celebration of Katy's life is planned for Springtime in New York City.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Katy MacKay University Fellows Endowed Fund at St. Lawrence University, c/o Tom Pynchon, Vice President for Advancement, St. Lawrence University, 23 Romoda Drive, Canton, New York 13617.