MacKay Clan Courier
EDITION # 73 JUNE 2012
14
14
14
MacKay Clan Grand Council
Kenneth MacKay, Chieftain
Bob Sutton
Gary Martineck
Marvin Dunn
John MacKay
Roy McCready
Donald Martineck
Roger MacKay
Edward MacKay
Jim Sarra
Advisory Board
Ginny Clark
Marilyn Cash
Milford Dunn
Jerry MacKay
Mark McCready
Greg Sutton
Robert MacKay
Tom MacKay
Historians: Dawn Sutton
This edition of the Clan Courier is lovingly dedicated to the memory of Don Sutton who passed away on April 22, 2012.
The MacKay Clan Courier has been published since 1968 and will continue only with your support. It is each family’s responsibility to submit articles. Without these articles, there would be no Clan Courier. Please do your part to keep this tradition alive!
Chieftain’s Message
Dear MacKay Clan-
It was with great sadness that I read Sue Sarra’s message to the family a few weeks ago that Don Sutton had passed away. When I heard of Don Sutton’s passing I thought back to the last time I saw him. As he did each of the last few years that he attended the reunion, Sunday after bowling, he stood up and announced that he and Helen would be leaving to drive back to Maryland. He made that announcement each year for three or four years in a row, each time implying that Helen and he had made their last trip. Each year I hoped that he was wrong and that we would see them the following year, but a few years ago they made their last trip. Each year since, as we come to the end of the events on Sunday and begin to say our goodbyes, I think of both of them and all that they contributed.
Several decades ago the Italian writer Italo Calvino published a series of short stories entitled “Invisible Cities’. Although each story is no more than a few pages and sketches cities that might only exist in dreams, the inventive urban spaces and infrastructures fascinated the architectural community. In the one that I remember the most, an older gentleman is walking through the back streets of a hillside town. He passes a young person who smiles at him as if they have met before. He becomes confused because he has never been to this town before and knows that he does not know the person he has just passed. But he is haunted by the face which is so familiar. He later recalls that it could easily pass as the face of a close friend, only that the look of that face now is this is how his friend looked more than thirty years ago. Calvino implies that perhaps it may not be our memories that fail us as we grow older; we simply have seen so many faces in so many different settings and phases in our life. Our mind becomes overwhelmed as this bank of images increases as we journey through time and space. It occurred to me recently that I am approaching the age of the gentleman in Calvino’s story.
Although most of us ’elders’ were already aware of the fact, Sue’s message also noted that Don was the last surviving spouse of the 10 MacKay children. Over the past few weeks I have on occasion sat and looked at the unfinished draft of our family tree. I’ve looked over all of the names of the 10 children of Robert MacKay and Jane Guthrie Clough. I can honestly say that I have been able to recall an encounter that I had with each of them. It is interesting to note that with the exception of Ralph MacKay, who I remember as a backlight silhouette greeting our family at the front door to his house after a long car ride to a hydroplane regatta, all of the memories I have of each of the original 10 children were from encounters at the annual family reunion.
I hope that as many of you as possible can make it this year and look forward to seeing you.
Ken MacKay (Grandson of Helen and Roy MacKay)
New Members to the Clan
Jessie Sobocinski, by marriage to Kory Watts on May 5th, 2012.
Nicholas Louis Martineck, born 6/30/11 to Christopher and Lisa Martineck.
Alice Mary Ellen Colonna, born to Elizabeth MacKay and Roy Colonna.
Kirsten Merete, by marriage to Ryan McCready on 6/16/12.
CONGRATULATIONS AND
WELCOME TO THE CLAN MACKAY!!
44th ANNUAL CLAN MACKAY REUNION
This year’s reunion will be held again at the Knight’s of Columbus, 1841 Whitehaven Road, Grand Island, NY 14072 on Saturday, August 4th. Please see the MacKay Reunion link for the details. We hope to once again celebrate our family by being together and enjoying each other’s company.
Please note that due to the closing of Evergreen golf course, the MacKay Golf Tournament venue is changing. It will now be held at Shawnee Golf Course, 6020 Townline Rd, Wheatfield, NY 14132. We will have to make tee times for our group, so it will be necessary for those wanting to play to let us know – via email or phone – no later than 7/20/12, so the correct # of tee times can be made.
We are also asking for you to contact us – phone 716 691-4800 or email () - to let us know how many in your family will be attending the reunion to help us prepare for and have sufficient food and drink.
NOTE: For anyone planning on going to Canada while in town – you will need a passport or an enhanced drivers license to reenter the U.S.
Clan Finances
The Clan’s finances have remained steady this past year. However, we continue to be in need of, and will be collecting donations, contributions, or “dues” at this year’s Reunion. Contributions can also be mailed to Michael Martineck. These funds help pay for Clan expenses, mainly the mailing of the Courier, maintenance of the Clan web site, and expenses related to the Reunion. They have allowed us to keep the food and beverage charges at the Reunion affordable for all our families. With the cost of so many things rising quickly, all of the Clan expenses are rising as well. Please help!
Clan MacKay on Facebook
The MacKay Clan continues to be on Facebook! We have 54 members. Join our group to share and receive information about our family all year long. All members of the group can share Clan photos, post exciting news, and receive reminders about upcoming events. As a reminder, posts to your own Facebook page are not carried over to the MacKay page, so you need to post them separately.
To join the group you must first be a member of Facebook, then search for our group under the name “Clan MacKay of Buffalo, NY” and click to join! If you are already a member, you can add your friends by clicking “Add Friends to Group” and typing in your friends’ names. Only members of our group can read or see items posted to the site.
MacKay Clan Web site
www.clanmackay.org
The web site continues to be maintained. We are looking for ideas for improving or expanding it, please contact Mike Sarra with your suggestions. The site includes Clan Courier issues – current and former, the Clan Directory, info about the Reunion, and results from all the events at last year’s Reunion.
The section on Clan History needs some enhancement, and any suggestions, ideas, expertise you have to offer are needed. The link for lost family members continues to grow; please give us updates on your families. There are a number of members whose email addresses are no longer valid – please remember to send us a notice when you change your email address! Every year we lose touch with some members who fail to give us their updated information.
The links for each branch of the family are there to be used in any way you’d like – family info, pictures, etc. Items you would like to have posted should be e-mailed to
We can also have links connecting to other web sites of interest to Clan members – if anyone has a business site, etc. Let us know your ideas!
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Donald J. Sutton
Don Sutton died on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at the Gilchrist Hospice Center in Baltimore, MD. He had just celebrated his 88th birthday. Don was very proud of being a member of the MacKay Clan. He and Helen always enjoyed the reunions and were very sorry when they had to give up their trips to Buffalo. Many Clan members have fond memories of Don and Helen, especially their dancing ability. He will be sorely missed.
Roger MacKay Family News
Greetings from Roger and Phyllis MacKay to the clan:
We spent three beautiful months in Florida this past winter. Our bucket list included an afternoon on an airboat with Captain Bob who looked like Larry the Cable Guy. We also spent some time in Naples with our friends and were able to do some fishing in the Gulf. We caught alot of fish and Rog
managed to catch his first shark, which was exciting. That trip included a day in the everglades and seeing an old Seminole Indian trading post, which is now a museum. The mermaids at Weeke Wachee Springs State Park were a real treat to watch. The kids kept telling us how nice it was here, so we cut our stay short by a week to come back and enjoy the 80 degree weather in NY. So we packed, locked up and 2 days later arrived home to a 35 degree day (we missed the nice weather by a week!)
Debbie and Michael continue to lead busy lives. Debbie is working at Pies Furniture Store in Lockport and Mike will be a Senior in high school this fall. He is on the Varsity baseball and soccer teams.
Brother Tom is still Tom. He is doing well and living in Wilmington, NC with his girlfriend, Dawn.
Wishing you all a wonderful summer. Hope to see you at the Clan Reunion.
Bob Sutton Family News
We continue to enjoy our home in Florida and the wonderful warm, sunny weather. Bob is playing golf at least 4 times a week. He tells me he's going to "work," but I've yet to see a pay check.
We slipped away last September for a week in Barbados. We had a great time, although Bob was a bit shaky driving on the "wrong" side of the road. It was hot, hot, hot but beautiful.
In January we spent a week in San Diego seeing Greg and Lea and the gorgeous country out there. We got to tour the NBC studio where Lea works and were able to be in the recording studio when she gave her 5:00 report live. Greg is busy with his active duty reserves. The movie, "Act of Valor," premiered in February with Greg as one of the actors. We even recognized him!
We had several friends visit during the year. We see Jim and Sue frequently since they are only a half hour away from us.
We were lucky enough to meet in Disney World for dinner with several Clan members who winter and/or live in the Sunshine State.
We returned to Baltimore in April for a wedding, and Bob was able to spend several hours with Dad the night before he died.
The Russells were here for a week the early part of May. Wow! Zach, age 4, and Shane, age 2, never stop!!! Grandpa and Grandma are too old for all of this activity! We had a ball with them. Wewent to the zoo, the jungle gardens, the #1 beach in the USA (Siesta), playedminiature golf and generally ran ourselves ragged. They are bundles of energy who never stop! It was great seeing Kelly and Pete too.
In June we are going to the Hawaiian Islands for a month. We're visiting 4 of the islands and really looking forward to the trip, since we've heard nothing but good things from the Sarras and Martinecks when they visited there.
We will be at the reunion and are looking forward to seeing everyone again.
Michael Martineck Family News
The Martinecks of Timberlink
What did we do this year? Ha. What didn’t we do. Sarah traveled to New York City, San Francisco, Indianapolis (twice, once during the caucuses and once during March Madness, neither of which interested her at all) Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago, Greenwich, Bristol, Gainesville and the Dominican Republic. Gainesville was the worst. She’s seen a lot of movies she didn’t want to see.
I haven’t. I make the kids see the superhero movies I want to see.
Nina had her first short story published, in an anthology put out my Canisius Collage. I’m proud and horrified. That kind of encouragement can really send someone down the wrong path. Max had a wonderful year in kindergarten. Being taught by an ex customs agent (I’m not making this up) provided him with just the right amount of loving discipline. At school. They both do whatever the heck the like at home.
I continue to do what I always do – treat the world as my coffee house. See you all soon.
.
Gary Martineck Family News
Hello from Arkansas or rather Wisconsin were I am sitting at this moment. Gary, Carl, Abby and I are visiting Dad for a week. Gary has caught a few fish so far, but I think the lunkers quit biting the moment he entered the state.
Dad didn’t visit us this winter and lucky for him it was one of the mildest winters in a long time. Since Dad wasn’t in AR, we went to WI for Thanksgiving. My family met at my sister’s and though it was a tight squeeze we had a good time.
Gary and I were alone for the first time ever at Christmas so we went to Branson. You’ll have to ask Gary about the Christmas tree he brought along for our condo. We had a quiet few days, then drove over to Knoxville to see Scott and Dani. We met Dani’s parents and got together with several of our friends.
In Feb we went to New Orleans with our friends from Hot Springs to celebrate Mardi Gras. What an experience! We had a blast, but doubt any of us would ever do it again. New Orleans is a neat city, however, and we would like to visit it again under different circumstances.