James Chester McKay

A funeral for James Chester McKay, 57, a Smith Valley native and long-time resident, will be at 10 a.m. today at the Smith Valley United Community Church with Pastor Tom Walburn officiating.

Mr. McKay died Oct. 26, 2004, at his home in Smith Valley. He was born May 7, 1947, in Yerington, to Mervin and Marjorie Keeley-McKay.

He attended Smith Valley schools, graduating from high school in 1966 and then attended the University of Nevada, Reno.

He married Kathy DeVore Sept. 16, 1968. He married Linda Morelock Sept. 29, 1974, at Lake Tahoe. He married Christi Russell Jan. 18, 2004.

Mr. McKay loved the mountains, ranching and his cowboy life. His first job off the ranch was for the United States Forest Service, stationed at the Wheeler Guard Station. He worked on the hotshot crew for four years. In 1970, he moved to Chino, Calif., to become Brood Mare Foreman at the Rex Ellsworth Race Horse Ranch. Returning to Nevada, he worked as assistant manager of the Terrible Herbst Gas Station in Reno. He went to work for Mayfair Market in Reno in 1975 and remained there until he returned to Smith Valley to ranch full time. After the sale of the McKay Ranch, he worked for the Flying A Ranch in Smith Valley where he remained until his death.

He was preceded in death by his father.

Among his survivors are his wife Christi of Smith Valley; daughter, Sheila McKay-Garcia of Klamath Falls, Ore.; son, James Robert of Gardnerville; mother Marjorie McKay-Linscott and stepfather Jack Linscott of Smith Valley; sister and brother-in-law Bert and Dixie King of Reno; brother, Bob of Smith Valley; sister, Mary Duhart of Yerington; sister and brother-in-law Clay and Jackie Coburn of Paducah, Ky.; great-aunt Ethel Schmidt of Yerington; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild and many nieces and nephews.

Freitas Rupracht Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.