Alice Jeanette McKay

Many years ago, my mother was working on a bachelor's degree in mathematics at the University of Houston. My father was working on two degrees, one in mathematics and the other in electrical engineering. On one occasion, my father skipped a chemistry lab and decided to go to a dance. From across the room, he saw this beautiful woman ... different from the rest. There was something about her lovely eyes, her sweet smile, her happiness that caught my father's attention. He waited until a slow song played so that he could dance and talk with her. Fortunately, my mother accepted his invitation. After the dance, they sat on a bench and enjoyed a wonderful conversation together.

As you can imagine, they started dating and eventually, they were married. This web site also includes a lovely photo of my parents on their wedding day.

One of my first memories of my mother was sharing an art class together. We would enter a narrow rectangular room, filled with students, white canvases, and oil paints. I remember painting mountains and waterfalls on a small canvas, while my mother painted flowers, people, landscapes, the city, ... I was very happy painting next to her and was always impressed by her ideas and techniques. Whatever my mother touched, it turned into something wonderful. My parent's house is filled with her beautiful paintings, dedicated to Monsieur McKay. Included is a painting she copied and improved upon from Paul Cézanne. I have seen the original painting at a museum, but I think it should be replaced with my mother's painting. :-)

I also remember going with her to a small shop near the beach to find new shells from exotic locations. Her curiosity, her smile, and her love made each experience wonderful!

She awakened my interest in collecting everything from minerals to coins to stamps. I remember a story once when she was vacationing with her parents and my dad through Europe. As the trip proceeded, my father noticed that the luggage was getting heavier and heavier. At the time, he thought he must be getting weaker and coming down with something. Little did he know that she had stored many shiny rocks collected from the beach.

Before my parents were married, my dad also discovered that his girlfriend had an unusual talent for shopping. Every year, there would be a big "Moonlight Madness" sale. One day before the sale event, my mom would make her best guess as to what would be on sale and hide those important items in other areas of the stores, usually in the children's department (which surprised my father since they were not married yet). After the large crowds had exited, she would return with my dad, retrieve the hidden items now on sale, and quickly pay for them at the register.

I also remember a story that my mother studied the clarinet for 25 years, the piano for seven years, and the English horn for two years. I only heard my mom play twice in my life. Her clarinet music was very lovely. She has an internal sense of perfectionism that bears wonderful fruit in everything that she does. I heard that she stopped playing music because of that perfectionism. I wish I could hear her play again.

When my grandmother discovered that she had advanced stages of cancer, she asked my mother to hold a party for her friends, before passing away. After the party, she wrote my mother a letter, thanking her for a wonderful meal and party. She also wrote that her grandson is "almost perfect". She knew by writing this letter that she would touch my mother's heart. Dearest Grandmother, please change your note to say that my mother is "almost perfect".

Funny story: Soon after my parents married, my dad came home from work, to discover his wife attempting to walk a refrigerated duck. Apparently, the recipe had instructions for the front side of the duck and she did not know which side was the front versus the back. So she took the duck for a walk across the kitchen counter. :-) As you can imagine, that was the start of my mom's interest in cooking. She attended cooking classes in France, New Orleans, and bought books from great chefs, such as Dione Lucas. I still remember her delicious recipes. Warm Caesar salad, homemade, fresh Italian cannelloni, a delicate, light chocolate mousse, and warm, fresh baklava ... Her recipes, even if you enjoy them only once in your life, are something you never forget.

My mom is also very creative. I remember her painting and selling hundreds of oil spouts. These painted spouts could hold a woman's rings while she washed the dishes.

I also remember all of the thousands of beautiful scarves that she handmade and sold. Please keep in mind, this is Texas. Because of the heat, scarves should not sell here ... unless they were made by her.

When people meet my mom for the first time, they notice a very loving, funny, intelligent, beautiful woman. Women do not see her as competition. When they notice her curiosity, her humor, ..., they want very much to become friends and laugh with her. Students also flocked to Mrs. McKay, like a hummingbird to a flower. They knew she was passionate about teaching math and computer science in school and that she wanted to help them. She was also an excellent tutor at home. To this day, I take great pride at my math skills, because of her.

Sometimes, I pretended that I inherited my mother's humor. We have the most unusual connection. Whenever my mom wants to make a joke or if I want to start one, we could tag team together on the joke with dad.

Recently, my mom passed away from this earth. Although her caregivers, students, friends, and family will miss her, there is a deep understanding that each of us has. She knows we will always love her. We know that she will always love us.