Ahava Maria Nordquist McKee
Ahava Maria Nordquist McKee, 90, of Burnet died Jan. 23, 2012. She was born in Odessa, N.Y., on May 4, 1921, to Andrew and Ethel (Webster) Nordquist.
She was the third of five children in a home with strong Christian values. Raised in the country, she learned resourcefulness and frugality as well as a love of nature, all of which she passed on to her children.
She married Robert Lewis McKee on Sept. 16, 1944. In 1948, they purchased a 100-acre farm in Rock Stream, N.Y., where they raised 11 children. They instilled in their family strong work ethics and Christian values, which included daily Bible readings and prayers and regular church attendance.
In 1980, after his retirement, they began spending winters in Old Towne, Fla. In 1997, after her husband’s death, she began spending winters in Texas with her daughters while still spending summers in New York state. She also traveled to other areas of the country to visit her children.
In 2003, she made Texas her permanent home, living with her daughter Rita until January 2009 when she moved to Burnet with her daughter Phoebe.
She was a cheerful and adventurous person who enjoyed reading the Bible, playing piano, singing, gardening, sewing and Scrabble. She will be greatly missed.
Survivors include children Debbie Maynard and husband Daniel of Chattanooga, Tenn., Rita McKee of San Antonio, Tim McKee of Fletcher, N.C., Phil McKee and wife Dona of San Rafael, Calif., Anna Mori and husband Rick of Shady Cove, Ore., Joel McKee and wife Yunhee of Incheon, South Korea, Phoebe Morrison and husband Russell of Burnet, Nat McKee and wife Dinah of Alexandria, Va., and Jed McKee of Philadelphia; 26 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; sister Alethea Kolhonen; and brother Dean Nordquist and wife Erma.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years; daughters Ruth Frouman and Elizabeth McKee; brothers James and David Nordquist; and grandsons Brian Howell, Manoli Frouman and Daniel Frouman.
A memorial service is 2 p.m. Jan. 29 at Hoover Valley Baptist Church.
An online guest register is at www.putnamcares.com.
Memorials may be made to The Galilean Children’s Home, P.O. Box 880, Liberty, KY 42539, www.galileanhome.org. or Scott & White Hospice, 200 W. Ollie St., Llano, TX 78643, www.sw.org/hospice/hospice.
Cremation arrangements by Putnam Funeral Home & Crematory, 145 Texas Ave. in Kingsland, (325) 388-0008.