Uncle Lloyd McKay was from my Mom's side of the family. He was married to my Mother's oldest sister, Thelma Irene Smith. I loved my Uncle Lloyd so much. He passed away last week at the age of 93 1/2.
When I was young, we lived in Poplar, CA until I was 11 years old. I only had one sister who was younger than me by two years. Aunt Thelma and Uncle Lloyd lived in Stockton, CA. They had a large family of five girls and two boys. I used to love it when they would come to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Smith.
My sister, Tudy and I were at our Grandparents house more than we were at home. Grandma took care of us while our parents worked.
Uncle Lloyd loved kids. When he came to visit, he always gave me a lot of attention. He didn't play ball, or run with the kids like my Dad did. Uncle Lloyd was a talker. He loved to talk and he loved to know about people and how they were doing. Uncle Lloyd always made me feel so important! He made me feel that way until the day he died.
My Uncle Lloyd always drove a station wagon when his kids were growing up. I loved to pile into the station wagon with all of my McKay cousins and my sister. We never had any money so we would mostly just go to Church or to the grocery store.
After my family moved from Poplar and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, my sister and I used to stay a week or two at a time with Aunt Thelma and Uncle Lloyd. They had a small house so we would crowd into bed with our cousins. I would sleep with Carol and Fay, and my sister Tudy would sleep with Pam and Kathy. It was lots of fun because we had lots of kids to hang out with even if it was at their house.
Uncle Lloyd was a doer and a helper. He was always helping someone out by mowing their lawn, taking them to the doctor, helping them work on their house, etc. When my grandparents got older and needed more help, he would drive up and down the 99 several times a month.
After Grandma died, Uncle Lloyd and Aunt Thelma brought my Grandpa Smith home to take care of him. Uncle Lloyd helped him to bathe and do that sort of thing after Grandpa reached that point. They took really good care of Grandpa with Aunt Thelma doing the cooking and Uncle Lloyd doing the physical part of the caring until Grandpa passed away.
Their oldest child, Lloyd David got a brain tumor that was terminal. They brought him home. Uncle Lloyd took care of his oldest son until he passed away.
Aunt Thelma developed several health issues. She was totally bedridden, couldn't talk and was fed through a tube in her stomach for a couple of years. Uncle Lloyd was right there with her taking care of her.
After Aunt Thelma could no longer talk, Uncle Lloyd used to call me to keep me up to date on the family comings and goings and the latest gossip. Uncle Lloyd would also plant okra just for me. It is hard for me to grow it in my area so he would grow it for me.
Uncle Lloyd loved his family. He was a wonderful family man, a good Christian, and a great human being! Because he cared so much about others, he was a natural at being an outstanding Father, Husband, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Son in Law, Father in Law, Uncle, and Friend.
I know that he is in Heaven with Aunt Thelma and they are having a wonderful time.
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant
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