Peacefully on May 19, 2023, Ashley McKay passed away at home at the age of 62.

Ashley was born March 14, 1961 to Donald and Gladys McKay.  He grew up in Granton, ON.  He was the 3^rd youngest of six children.  He is predeceased by his dad, Donald McKay and sister Mary.

Ashley remembers and cherishes the times that he spent with his grandparents on their farm.  In his early teens he worked on a beef farm in Ontario. 

He moved to Winnipeg, MB with his first wife and they had two children, A.J. and Melody.

Many years later he met Karen, who would become his best friend and soul mate.  They married and were blessed with 3 children, Joshua (Sara), Katelyn (Marshall) and Matthew.

Ashley worked in Winnipeg as head supervisor and awesome cook at Salisbury House.  From there he decided to go to Adult Ed to further his education.  After Ashley and Karen married, he soon began his favourite position as stay at home dad.  It was also during this time that he started his career as a courier for the Winnipeg Free Press until he retired in 2020.

Ashley loved cycling and camping and went on many long distant bike trips.  He loved to fish and it was in these remote and beautiful places that he experienced God’s presence and peace.  He took Karen on a couple of bike trips to the Whiteshell and Rushing River.  Ashley loved our family road trips (with the car) and camping with his children as they grew up. Bird’s Hill soon became the regular campground that we would live at for many summers.

Ashley was a very talented person and somehow knew how to do everything and anything he put his mind to.  He taught himself how to work on our cars and renovating our house so that his family was always taken care of and had the best.  He taught his children to work on cars and many other skills, although no one wanted to be the one to hold the flashlight.  He taught them to build and fix their own bikes and soon the kids would look forward to our trips to the dump to buy their next project or part they needed.

Ashley was the baker in the family and loved the holidays.  He was famous for his butter tarts and peanut butter cookies.  He loved our family gatherings and felt blessed to be part of it.  He had a very expressive personality and would talk your ears off.  He was genuinely interested in those he would talk to.

We always had dogs in our home, he was always comfortable with dogs and loved them.  He would want to ‘visit’ the Winnipeg humane society, but I knew that meant we were coming home with a dog.  One visit he was so connected with a senior dog that we had to adopt her as we were her last chance.

Our family would like to send my deepest appreciations to the doctors and nurses that cared for him during his illness, I know they couldn’t help but get to know Ashley and he always was thankful and cared about them.

A Celebration of Life is pending. Please check here shortly for updates and confirmation.

Due to allergies, please refrain from wearing colognes or perfumes.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength, they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.      Isaiah 40: 30-31

Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences on Ashley’s memorial page by using the comment field below.