Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271882
Title: Hermenia McKay
Date: 5/13/1927-12/1/2020
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 5/13/1927
Summary: Hermenia McKay, 93, Fort Totten, ND, passed away December 1, 2020, at the Eventide Devils Lake Care Center. Her private funeral service was held December 9, 2020, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Fort Totten. Her Burial was at the Raven Hill Presbyterian Cemetery, rural Fort Totten, ND. Hermenia Rainbow was born May 13, 1927, the daughter of Bernard Rainbow and Carrie White Rainbow. She was the youngest child of five, three brothers, Andrew Rainbow, Joseph Rainbow, Julius Rainbow and two sisters, Lillian Shaw and Dora Rainbow. Hermenia was raised in Crowhill District of the Spirit Lake Reservation. Hermenia Rainbow attended school and graduated from the Fort Totten Boarding School which was located in the Cavalry Square. She married Bill McKay on May 21, 1948. He served in the US Navy for five years and was honorably discharged in 1950. Hermenia McKay was a hard worker, beginning work at the age of 15 years and went on to work all of her life on the Spirit Lake Reservation.  Upon her marriage, she worked beside her husband to raise their children, Carl McKay, Merle McKay, Virgil McKay, and Ila McKay. Her employment began at the Dakota Trading Post in Fort Totten, at the age of 15 years. She then worked at the Bell Isle Mission Store in St. Michael, ND. As a store clerk, Hermenia met all the families and helped families as she was able to. Hermenia attended the University of North Dakota under the Future Indian Teachers Program. She completed the program and went on to work as a kindergarten teacher aide at the Tate Topa Elementary School in Fort Totten. She loved working with children and lovingly shared stories of the children’s antics and learning experiences. She lovingly shared their most positive moments. Hermenia career went on to become a language instructor as she completed her certification to be a language teacher. She continued her career as a language teacher under the Tate Topa Wounspe Language Program/Four Winds Elementary School and, upon her retirement, continued her service to the Tribe as a language consultant for the Cankedeska Cikana Community College. Hermenia McKay also served on the Spirit Lake Tribal Enrollment Committee and the Spirit Lake Tribal Health Board. Hermenia McKay lived a life of faith as a member of the St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Fort Totten. She and her husband supported the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in continually working to sustain the church and providing church activities to include recruiting pastors, ministers, lay readers to provide church leadership. They attended meetings of the Dakota Leadership Program/Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota which provided training for Indian Ministers. Together, they supported the ordination of Daniel Makes Good, St. Thomas Episcopal Church. Hermenia McKay had many grandchildren and great grandchildren. We apologize for having forgotten any names. Her son Carl McKay is the father of Ann Black (Devils Lake, ND), Lori McKay (Fort Totten, ND), Carl McKay Jr. (New Rockford, ND), Marnie (Joseph) Lawrence (New Rockford, ND), Dixie (Mitch) Omen (St. Michael, ND), Jennifer (Wayne) Black (St. Michael, ND), and Jason Greene (St. Michael, ND).  Her son Virgil McKay is the father of Larissa McKay (Devils Lake, ND), Dakota McKay (St. Michael, ND), Charris Thomas (Fort Totten, ND), Lynea (Brian) Crissler (Belcourt, ND), Virgil William (Vwoomie) McKay (Deceased) and Blaine McKay. Her son Merle McKay is the step-father of Kristi (Johnnie) Gaking, Bill Walking Eagle (WA) and Mandi. Her daughter Ila McKay is the mother of Douglas Zachery Lohnes (Hettinger, ND), William Joseph Lohnes (Devils Lake) and Ione Skye Lohnes (Fort Totten, ND). Her great-granchildren, (Brian and Lynea Crissler) are Briley Crissler, Kenley Crissler, Kyler Crissler, Larin Crissler, and Breah Crissler (all of Belcourt, ND). Nieces and nephews are Ardis Shaw, Vincent Shaw, and Andrew Shaw (all of Fort Totten. She is survived by Ila McKay, daughter; Ardis Shaw, niece; Vincent Shaw, nephew; and Andrew Shaw, nephew (all of Fort Totten); and her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by Bill McKay (husband), Carl McKay, Merle McKay, and Virgil McKay (sons), Bernard and Carrie (White) Rainbow (parents), Andrew Rainbow, Joseph Rainbow, Julius Rainbow (brothers), Lillian Shaw, Dora Rainbow (sisters) and Virgil William (Vwommie) McKay, Kitana Wolfe Lohnes (grandchildren).
Red ID: FND_I_79377 Image ID: 538665 Image Notes: FND001 271882

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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