Eugene Mackay

OXFORD – Eugene B. MacKay, 89, of Huguenot Road, died Sunday, August 14, 2022, at Lanessa Extended Care in Webster.  He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Kristin L. (Lovett) MacKay of Oxford; three sons, Mike J. MacKay of Centerville, James L. MacKay and his wife Melinda of Westerly, RI, and Peter C. MacKay and his partner Sean Forbes of Thompson, CT; four step children, Craig W. Bates and his wife Cathy of Florida, Dulce J. Campbell and her husband Paul of Woodstock, CT, Elizabeth T. Lampert and her husband David of Scarsdale, NY, and Deborah T. Quigg and her husband Timothy of Columbia, MD; two sisters, Carol Engstrand of Sutton and Sandra Martin of West Brookfield; fourteen grandchildren, Justin Anderson, Gregory MacKay, Michael MacKay, Sam MacKay, Joel Bates, Katie Melanson, Sarah Kuritzky, Jenny Cronin, Lisa Widen, Sarah Lampert, Emma Lampert, Daniel Lampert, Owen Quigg, and Shannon Quigg; twenty great-grandchildren; many nephews and nieces; and his extended family, the Baldarelli clan of Sutton.  He was predeceased by his first wife, Gretchen (Nordstrom) Anderson who died in 2013; his second wife, Barbara Jean (Dempster) MacKay who died in 2000; and two sisters, Beverly Crockett and Judy Nelson.  He was born in Worcester, son of the late Vaughan and Dorothy (Lewis) MacKay, and lived in Auburn before moving to Oxford in 1959.  He graduated from Auburn High School in 1951 and attended Worcester Junior College.  He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, where he was a mechanic and served in Japan.

Mr. MacKay was a mechanic at the Worcester Regional Transit Authority for many years, retiring in 1996.  In his younger years he worked at his father’s garage in Auburn.  He was a member of the Oak Hill Bible Church in Oxford.  He played softball and umpired in the Jack Benny Softball League, and played baseball while serving in the Army.  Mr. MacKay was a member of the American Legion Post 58 and the V.F.W. Post 5663, both in Oxford.  He was Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 120 in Oxford and a member of the Pilgrim Fellowship at the First Congregational Church.  He was also a member of the Oxford Lodge of Masons.  He enjoyed gardening, classic cars, and golfing.

A celebration of his life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 21, 2022, at Oak Hill Bible Church, 40 Sacarrappa Rd., Oxford.  Burial will be private at a later date.  Calling hours are Saturday, August 20, 2022, from 2-4 p.m. at Paradis-Givner Funeral Home, 357 Main St., Oxford.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Oak Hill Bible Church, 40 Sacarrappa Rd., Oxford, MA 01540.