JAMES ROLAND MCKAY

James Roland McKay of Lake Hills Texas passed away at 6 p.m. on October 22, 2021.

He was born to Leslie Deo McKay and Laura Mae Symons on August 24, 1934, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

After graduation from Tulsa Central High School in 1952, he became an engineering major at what was then Oklahoma A&M (now OSU) where he stud ied for three years. In July 1956, he joined the U.S. Army, and went to basic training at Ft. Bliss, Texas, and later was stationed at Ft. Myer, Virginia, where he achieved the rank of Specialist Third Class before being honorably discharged.

While Jim was stationed at the largest building in the world, the Pentagon, Jim met Patricia Ramsburg at one of the cafeterias there and soon they began dating. They married on November 27, 1957, in Arlington, Virginia. The young couple moved to Detroit, Michigan as Jim went to work for an uncle in the banking business. He achieved continuing education designations throughout his career until retiring from the role of mortgage broker in 1990.

Jim’s career as a mort gage banker took the family from Michigan to Oklahoma, then to New York City, Philadelphia, Louisiana, and finally San Antonio. He and his wife of 62 years settled in Lake Hills, Texas, where they lived for the past 30 years. They were blessed to help raise their grandson Jacob, with the endless supply of love, acceptance, patience and unwavering support that grandparents uniquely have to offer.

Throughout his life, Jim was an avid baseball fan, playing himself and taking on the role of little league coach in the late 1960s. Coach McKay, as he is remembered by his teams’ players, was a generous and dedicated coach for twenty plus years, working with every team to teach them the game, teamwork and sportsmanship. Even in his later years, he worked with students at the local school and drove a school bus.

James was preceded in death by his wife and a granddaughter. He is survived by three children and their spouses, James (and former spouse Teresa), of Louisiana; Mary Andrew (Mark), his constant caregiver, of Lake Hills; and Jennifer Hettinger (Richard), of Seguin. He was blessed to know and hold in his loving arms all twelve grandchildren, and even a few of his ever-growing family of sixteen great-grandchildren. Brothers and Sisters (with spouses and where they live): John and spouse Sheila McKay, both of Tulsa and both deceased.

A graveside service and interment will be held for family and friends later this year.