Ray Evan McKay was the son of Alexander George McKay and Elsie Lillian McAlpin who were dairy farmers in Upper Lansdowne.
Ray was born at Upper Lansdowne on 19 December 1923 and lived on his parent’s dairy farm called “Ballymore”. He used to walk 5 miles to attend Koppin Yarratt School. His father passed away in August 1938 when Ray was only 15 years old leaving his mother with 10 children to raise and a farm to run. On finishing school Ray became a farm hand working for his mother.
He enlisted into the 228 Australian Light Anti Aircraft Battery on 7 April 1943 aged 19 at Lansdowne naming his mother as his next of kin.
Ray spent most of his time in Western Australia whilst in the Army. In November 1943 while home on leave visiting his mother, Ray along with Jack and Ray Cicolini were entertained at an enjoyable social evening at the residence of Mr and Mrs C C Drury, Central Lansdowne.
Ray was discharged from the Army on 29 March 1945.
Ray received the Australian Service Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945.
In about 1942 when life became too hard for his mother at Upper Lansdowne, the family moved to Moorland where his mother and 3 of her sons purchased an orange orchard. During the war his mother had Italian POWs working on the orchard at Moorland. The orchard was then converted to a dairy farm around the mid 1950s. The property was known as E L McKay and Sons.
On the 12 November 1949 Ray married Iris Lambert and spent much of his working life in the Moorland area where he was an orange orchardist, dairy farmer and backhoe operator. Ray and Iris had 4 children: Maurice McKay, Barbara (Hayes), Jenette McKay and Leona (Brassell).
Ray died on 3 January 1973 aged 50 and is buried at Moorland Cemetery.
Information and photo supplied by Barbara Hayes (daughter).
