Ethel Marie Bonsen McKay, age 96, of Ferndale, passed away on Dec. 10, 2016. Ethel was born Nov. 1, 1920 to parents Peter and Margaret (Blume) Bonsen in Castor, Alberta, Canada.
The family moved to Lynden in 1927 to begin dairy farming. Ethel graduated from Lynden High School with the Class of 1939 and attended Success Business College in Bellingham. She was employed at Lynden Darigold and was a charter member of the Lynden Rainbow Assembly, where she was Worthy Advisor and one of two of the first Grand Cross recipients awarded at the Lynden Assembly. Ethel and Kenneth McKay were married Aug. 9, 1944 at Lynden Methodist Church (the old church was behind the Lynden Department Store). She and Ken owned and operated McKay’s Variety Store in Ferndale for 27 years and were well-known in the community.
Ethel was preceded in death by her husband Ken, her parents, and her sister Esther (Bee) Prince.
She is survived by her children Leah and Bill Prince, Jeff and Merle Mc-Kay and Stu and Connie McKay; grandchildren Kyle Prince, Justin McKay, Gail and Cdr. Aaron Tabor and Ayla McKay; three great-grandchildren: Isabel, Michael and Madison Tabor; her brother, Roy Bonsen of Lynden; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Jan. 22, 2017 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Ferndale Event Center, 5715 Barrett Road.
Donations may be made in her name to the Ferndale Heritage Society, Whatcom Old Settlers or the PBY Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 941, Oak Harbor, WA 98277.
Please share your thoughts and memories of Ethel online at www.sigsfuneralservices.com.
