Leonard Kenneth McKay

Leonard McKay was born on August 28, 1925 in Ormiston Saskatchewan and passed away in Kamloops on November 5, 2017. His 92 years were devoted to family, friends and his community. He held strong principles around work ethic, integrity, fairness and determination, which he passed onto his family.

Len will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 67 years Evelyne and his children Gordon, Laurel, Robin (Maria) and Melody (J.B.). Grandpa will be fondly remembered by his six grandchildren Matthew, Landon, Maiah McKay and Oliver, Bianca and Theo Cole. The door was always open to extended family in times of need who lived with Uncle Len and Auntie Evelyne.

Len had many jobs over the years but he will mostly be remembered for making the best ice at the Valleyview sports complex. He was an ardent outdoorsman, camping, hiking, fishing and hunting. He had a passion for hockey both watching and playing, and hung up his skates at the age of 61 years.

He was a passionate scout leader with the Venturers group. Helping to build Ruckle Point on Shuswap Lake and taking a group of 20 youth on a 7-day trek for the 100th anniversary of the Hudson’s Bay Trail from Princeton to Hope. He coached Melody’s softball team for several years and played baseball himself on the “Coffin Dodgers” team of retirees.

In his sixties he took up cross-country skiing and was a mainstay at the Stake Lake trails, volunteering and skiing whenever he could, often tracking 1000 Km in a season. His trail gang of “old guys” cleared many of the trails, created signage and built the lookout shelter on the summit. The original shelter blew down so Len and crew rebuilt it with improvements, and it should be there for years to come.

In retirement, Len and Evelyne, with camper, longtime friends and family in tow, explored the highways and byways of British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska. He often turned down offers of travel abroad, exclaiming there was still so much to see in our own backyard of BC! Some of his favourite locations were Cathedral Lakes and Wells Grey Park. He has passed his love of the outdoors onto his kids and grandkids.

Thank you to everyone for your love and support over the years; friends and family, Dr. Paul Farrell, Dr. Prystawa, Jennie and the staff and volunteers at Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Hospice Home where dad spent his last days surrounded by family.