Margaret Cecilia MCKAY

MCKAY, Margaret Cecilia (nee Brannagan) September 21, 1923 - March 5, 2011 We are saddened to announce the passing of our dear mother, Margaret on March 5th at the age of 87 at the Penticton Regional Hospital. Mom was able to spend her final days in peace surrounded by her five sons. Margaret was pre- deceased by her loving husband Alex in 1987 and her grandson Ryan in 1984. She is survived by her sons Mike (Lynn) of White Rock, Brian (Suzanne) of Penticton, Barry (Rose Anne) of Toronto, Andrew (Linda) of Toronto and Ian of Ottawa. She leaves seven grandchildren - Chris, Sarah, Austin, Emma, Brendan, Maddie and Alec.
Born in Crawcrook, Ryton Upon Tyne, England, Mom was a Wren during the Second World War and worked at Bletchley Park with the group tasked with decoding enemy signals. Tales of wartime London, when recounted on a patio in 21st century Vancouver, would ordinarily seem surreal, but the clarity and vividness with which my mom could tell those tales put anyone in the audience right back to where she was in her early adulthood. Life was an adventure for Mom, and if living in the midst of war torn London was part of the package, she took it as such. After that, nothing really fazed her.
Mom's life in Canada began in 1958 when she and Dad, with two kids in hand and one more on the way, took a boat from Liverpool to Montreal and then the train across the country to Vancouver. Mom was a teacher in Kamloops, Revelstoke and Penticton, where she taught English and French until her retirement in 1986. A lover of literature, languages, travel and hearty laughter, Mom was not easily forgotten by those she met. Enriched by her curiosity, she knew there was always a story behind the face, and was relentless in extracting so many stories from unsuspecting and often reluctant subjects. Mom was clearly always on audition to be the next great television interviewer.
While Penticton was 'home' for most of my mother's life in Canada, several years after my Dad's death in 1987 Mom sought adventure and made the move to West Vancouver. From 1996 to 2008, she made the beautiful seaside neighbourhood of Dundarave her home, and promptly set about making a new set of friends, volunteering in the community, and exploring all that the Greater Vancouver area had to offer. She truly loved that chapter of her life and the wonderful friendships she formed through the West Vancouver Seniors' Centre. Then, approaching the age of 85 and experiencing some health problems, the decision was taken to return to the familiarity of Penticton where she would live her final years.
Throughout her life, Mom's extensive travels took her from Siberia to Singapore, from Tokyo to Toronto, but she was never more energised than when her feet hit the pavement of two of her favourite places - London and Paris. Having travelled as a young girl throughout Europe with her mother, she gained an early appreciation for adventure and history and a love of life. More recently, her happiest times were when her sons and the extended family gathered each summer to enjoy several weeks together in Penticton for family fun. She leaves a legacy of loving friendships, a proud and loving family, and a story with nearly everyone she ever met.
She will be missed.