Jane Ellen McKay

Portland - Jane Ellen McKay died on March 19, 2018, after an ongoing battle with alcoholism and Type 1 diabetes. Jane was born in Houlton, Maine on September 15, 1959, to the late Joseph H. and Pauline G. McKay. When granted reprieve from picking potatoes, she attended public schools in Houlton before graduating from Hebron Academy in 1977. Jane went on to earn a BA in History from Bowdoin College where she also played field hockey and lacrosse. She taught history at the Gunnery School in Connecticut before returning to Maine to start her family. She held jobs at both the Brunswick Times Record and L.L. Bean. Despite being hired to work on corporate accounts at Beans, her natural beauty translated into several appearances as a model in the catalogue - a fact she'd be horrified to learn was included in her obituary. Jane was actively engaged in the Brunswick community. She was a Trustee and Trustee Emerita at Bowdoin College. She also worked in the Admissions Office at the college and served on the Boards of the Curtis Memorial Library, the Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness, and most recently the Spring Harbor Hospital. In recent years, Jane had become increasingly involved in the fight to cure juvenile diabetes and was an unwavering supporter of others struggling with addiction. Jane was an avid sports fan. She was a champion of underdogs and took great pride in watching Mainers excel in athletics at the collegiate level and beyond. However, nothing made her happier than watching her children play soccer for Bowdoin and Williams, respectively. Her love for these school's athletic programs was only matched by her distaste for their corresponding rivals - the Colby Mules and the Amherst Lord Jeffs Mammoths. She was especially fond of the timeless Bowdoin chant - "Mules are sterile" - that echoed through the rink during Bowdoin-Colby hockey games. Jane was a fabulous cook which was greatly appreciated by her extended family, especially around the holidays. She enjoyed golf, tennis, and skiing corduroy at Sugarloaf as long as the temperature was above 40 degrees F. She also loved being on the ocean in Casco Bay and spending time at Nickerson Lake in Houlton. Jane related to young people in a way that very few adults could; hundreds considered her a second mom. Jane lives on through her daughter, Lucy M. Morrell, and her son, Peter R. Morrell, both of Brunswick, ME; a brother, M. Bruce McKay (Phoebe) of Buffalo, NY; a sister, Martha M. Novis (David) of Portsmouth, NH; and an aunt, Francis Grant of Houlton, ME. She leaves many beloved nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and close friends. She is also survived by her former husband, William D. Morrell, and in-laws, Robert L. and Nancy K. Morrell of Brunswick, ME. There will be a gathering to celebrate Jane's life on March 30, 2018, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Portland Country Club, 11 Foreside Rd, Falmouth, ME 04105. Guests are invited to share their remembrances beginning at 12:00 PM. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland. In lieu of flowers, we invite you to consider supporting Jane's legacy through a contribution to Spring Harbor Hospital, 123 Andover Rd., Westbrook, ME 04092