Mary Eva McKay, age 84 of Harrison, AR, passed away Thursday, February 24, 2022, at Mt. Vista Nursing Home in Harrison. She was born to Leila Geraldine Smiley and James C. Miller on April 24, 1937, in Santa Rosa, CA.  As a very young girl her father was transferred to Schofield Barracks Hi as post Chaplin.  The family went with him.  On December 7, 1941, as they were getting ready for chapel services there were aircraft flying low over their house, her father went out to see what was happening and she tagged along.  As they go out the door, they heard the ships at Pearl Harbor exploding.  This was a sound that was with Mary the rest of her life.  After the war, her father was assigned to different post. They went with him to Germany, Puerto Rico and Japan. She attended school in each of those countries.  In high school she studied to be a nurse and was taking night classes at Pasadena City college to get her license. During a break of classes, she met the love of her life George William "Bill" McKay. She was an LPN for 21 years and worked at the Boone County Hospital.

Mary got her angel wings when Jesus put her in his arms, while her husband sat holding her hand, and took all of her pain away.

They were married December 17, 1958, at Alambra First Christian Church by her father, retired Major Chaplain James Miller.  She was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Mary Ann McKay; her brothers-in-law, James Arthur McKay, Ralph Charles McKay, and Billy Gene Turner.

She is survived by her husband George William "Bill" McKay of the home; her son, James Arthur McKay and his wife Lucinda "Janie" and granddaughter's Lauren Ashley and Heather Lynn McKay all of Columbus, OH; her sister Ruth E. Turner of Riverside, CA; her nieces, Vicki Turner and Geri Sweatt; and a special friend and caregiver, Linda Neer Cuendet of Harrison and many cousins and friends.

Funeral service will be 2:00 PM Monday, February 28, 2022, at the First Christian Church in Harrison with Dr. JoAnn Flowers officiating.

Arrangements under the direction of Coffman Funeral Home of Harrison.