Sister Winifred McKay, D.C.

EMMITSBURG, MD ~ February 13, 2008

A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 15, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, for Sister Winifred McKay, DC. Sister died Friday, January 11, 2008 at Villa St. Michael, the province’s retirement residence in Emmitsburg. She was 92 years of age and 74 years of vocation.

Phyllis Winifred McKay was born in Newark, Ohio to James and Mary Morgan McKay, was baptized at Saint Jerome’s Church in Baltimore, Maryland, attended Saint Jerome’s and Saint John’s Schools, and graduated from Seton High School. She received her bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph College, Emmitsburg, in 1952, attended The Catholic University of America, and earned her master’s degree, majoring in Spanish, from Georgetown University.

Phyllis Winifred entered the community of the Daughters of Charity in 1933. After completing seminary [novitiate], Sister Winifred taught briefly at Gonzaga Home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, followed by a year as an elementary teacher at Miraculous Medal School in Greensboro, North Carolina. Sister’s direction changed from south to north when she was sent to Saint Joseph’s School in Albany, New York where she taught first grade for five years. The following seven years she taught first grade at Sacred Heart School in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1958, Sister was sent to teach at Saint Catherine Labouré School in Wheaton, Maryland, then to Saint Martin’s School in Baltimore where she taught Spanish for eight years. This was followed by a year as librarian at St. Joseph’s High School in Emmitsburg.

For the next 16 years (1971–1987), Sister taught Spanish at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, Maryland. After school and on Saturdays, Sister visited the elderly at Emerson House often involving the students in these visits. She also organized and chaperoned trips for groups of students to Europe, Italy, France and Spain.

Sister loved music, and while at Elizabeth Seton, she established their music department, which consisted of a choral group and a band. The fledgling music department began in the 1970’s in a basement classroom and remained there until September 2007 when the building for the Fine Arts and Athletic Center was dedicated. The Center is now home to three instrumental groups and four vocal groups and also the gospel choir. The school offers credit courses in music appreciation, chorus, chorale, concert choir, honors concert choir, beginning brass band, concert band, symphonic band, honors symphonic band and orchestra.

When Sister’s assignment at Elizabeth Seton ended, she spent two years at Jenkins Memorial Home in Baltimore (now Saint Elizabeth’s Home for Nursing Care) as special projects director teaching arts and crafts to the residents.

Sister was involved in the adult literacy program in Charleston, South Carolina (1989-1992), followed by five years in the adult literacy program at Saint Patrick’s School/Parish in Richmond, Virginia.

Between 1997 and 2003, she volunteered in the children’s clinic at Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore and taught arts and crafts to the residents at Saint Elizabeth’s Home for Nursing Care. This was her last active-duty assignment before retiring to Villa Saint Michael.

Sister Winifred was an avid sports fan—especially the Orioles, the Ravens and Notre Dame. She knew all the players’ names and where they stood in the ratings, and everyone counted on Sister to know the scores. She also loved basketball, and while on mission at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, she often attended the Hoyas games at Georgetown University.

The last of her immediate family, Sister is survived by a niece, Mary Lou Jones of Berlin, Maryland, and several grand nieces and grand nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Daughters of Charity Support Fund for the Elderly and Infirm Sisters, 333 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD 21727.