Vina Elizabeth McKay (Gallant)

Baileyville – Vina Elizabeth (Gallant) McKay, 98, our beloved mother, entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at Colonial Health Care in Lincoln with her loving family by her side. Vina was born in Woodland on February 12, 1920, daughter of Frank and Adoline (Wedge) Gallant.

After living throughout the United States, Vina returned home to Woodland with her four children. She worked hard to help support them and was employed many years with St. Croix Paper Co. and George-Pacific Corp. at the Clubhouse, a job she loved, followed by a position at It’s A Small World Preschool, a job she thoroughly enjoyed seeing the many area children each day. Vina loved to cook for all her family, go for rides to Eastport, staying in hotels, reading, eating lobster rolls and hot dogs at Grampie Bill’s, and last but not least, cookouts at camp along with family trips to The Bar Road in St. Andrews over the last eighty years.

Vina was a Communicant of St. James the Greater R.C. Church in Baileyville her entire life. Her faith was an important part of her life.

In addition to her parents, Vina was predeceased by brothers Leo, Francis and Lawrence Gallant, all of whom she cherished; a loving sister Mary (Gallant) Skelley; and very dear cousins, Pauline and Louis McCluskey, and Mary McCluskey Foster. Surviving are her four children, Michael McKay and his companion Mary of Ukiah, CA, John McKay and wife Linda of Solomons, MD, Kathy Irving and husband David of Baileyville, and Carol Stoddard and husband Kenny of Baileyville; her grandchildren, Kelly McKay Harris and husband Jason, Heather Irving James and husband Greg, David Irving and wife Sarah, Lauren McKay Fean and husband Tyler, Ian McKay, Holly Stoddard Thompson and husband Dan, and Jessica Stoddard Ferry and husband Robert; great-grandchildren, Luke and Lainey Harris, Taylor James Carle and husband Matt, Courtney James, Morgan James, Sam and Elliot Irving, and Brooklyn and Austin Ferry; great-great grandchildren, Matthew and Jacob Carle; and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff at Colonial Health Care in Lincoln for their excellent care given to Vina with special thanks to Jinky and Sarah.

A Memorial Mass was celebrated by Father Kevin Martin 11 a.m. Saturday, February 9, 2019 at St. James the Greater R.C. Church in Baileyville, where the Rosary was recited prior to Mass at 10:30 a.m. Burial will take place at 2:00 pm, Saturday, June 22nd at Woodland Cemetery. Donations in Vina’s memory may be made to one of two organizations that she held dear, Woodland Public Library, PO Box 549, Baileyville, ME 04694, or St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, PO Box 898, Calais, ME 04619. Arrangements by Mays Funeral Home, Calais & Eastport.