Dorothy Jean Dutt Mckay

Great Falls, MT – Dorothy Jean Dutt McKay passed peacefully on December 9th, 2018 at the age of 91 following a brief illness. Born in McMinnville, Oregon to Gordon Arthur and Fleda Thurston Dutt, she was the older of two children. Her early childhood years were spent in Des Moines, Iowa, Choteau, Montana and a Ranch on the Sun River outside of Great Falls.Dorothy was educated in the Great Falls Public school system, was a graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri and the University of Colorado in Boulder with summers of continuing education. Dorothy married and had two children. Following a divorce and relocation to Salinas, California, she enjoyed a proud career as a physical education teacher. Upon marriage to John R. McKay in 1972, Dorothy joined John in Calgary where she spent many enjoyable years near her Canadian family and as a community volunteer & homemaker. John’s career as a petroleum engineer led them to assignments in Utah & Tennessee and a return to Great Falls in 1981 for retirement. Commitment to community involvement included a return to volunteering at The C.M. Russell Museum, the P.E.O. Sisterhood’s efforts to support women’s education (Chapter AR, MT & Chapter E, Calgary), The Salvation Army and Junior League.Dorothy enjoyed reading, painting, lunches with her Great Falls High Class of ’46, time spent at the Meadowlark Country Club, time with her birthday club friends, communications with college roommates and a love of politics at all levels of government. Dorothy loved Great Falls and all of Montana! Her passion for Western Art, Charlie Russell & The C. M. Russell Museum where she was a long serving docent gave her an amazing outlet for her love of learning and interacting with the public. Her final museum tour was given just days prior to her illness. As a paramount compliment from the museum, Dorothy was honored as a Josephine Trigg Award Recipient in 2016 where she recounted meeting Miss Trigg, who was then a librarian, as she helped Dorothy pick out her first library book. Dorothy’s personal doctrine was to complete no less than 8 projects a day as she took great delight in keeping an immaculate home and organization in every aspect of her personal life. Dorothy had committed to memory countless passages of poetry from Shakespeare to Robert Burns, perhaps a favorite, recited countless times to family and close friends and was the Desiderata by Max Ehrmann. Proceeded in death by her parents, husband and sister-in-law Francis, Dorothy is survived by her brother Gordon A. “Bud”; children Stephen, Lisa; step-children John, Caroline & Mary Sue and their spouses; nephews; grandchildren & great grandchildren. Special thanks to the caregivers at the Great Falls Clinic Hospital and especially to the beautiful caring staff at the Benefis Grandview Transitional Cottage with Hospice of Montana’s involvement. At Dorothy’s request there will be no memorial service. A celebration of her life will be held at a future date. Memorial contributions are suggested to The C. M. Russell Museum Education Fund, 400 13th Street North, Great Falls, MT 59401. (406) 727-8787. www.cmrussell.org As often stated to everyone her life touched… “Carry On!”