Walter Vernon "Son" McKay and Era Vay Hoover McKay
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Biography

The Walter Vernon McKay Family

Walter Vernon "Son" McKay was born at Red Mud August 23, 1900, to W. A. and Alice McKay, pioneers to Red Mud. His father was a farmer-rancher. Son grew up fast. He learned to ride horses and work cattle at a very young age. When the town of Spur was being built, he would ride his horse to Spur to see how the builders were progressing.

When Son was eleven years old, his father died and Son went to work that year on a ranch at Clairemont. In 1914 Son left Clairemont, and drifted into New Mexico and Arizona. In 1919 he came back to Texas, got back in time for the Dickens County Fair, which was held at Spur every year. He went to work on the Pitchfork Ranch, later worked on the Swenson and 6666 Ranches. He rode wild broncos to entertain guests at the 6666's. He was a model cowboy, who was never seen in anything but western clothes, which he wore with a great deal of pride. Young cowboys patterned his way of dressing and envied his rough, tough life style.

Son was an athletic young man, besides wild bronc riding, he loved to wrestle, played horse polo with a mallet made from mesquite limbs, and he also loved music and played a guitar, fiddle, French harp and loved to dance.

Son met and married Era Vay Hoover in Dickens County. Era was born October 3, 1904 in Dublin, Texas, the daughter of A. M. and Ada Belle Hoover.

Era started to school at Red Mud and finished high school at Spur. She attended Arlington State College where she received a teaching certificate in 1922, but chose to be a housewife and raise six boys. Their first boy was born September 17, 1925. Billy Vernon, Donald Ray, Joe Dell and Jack Alton were born about two years apart. These four oldest boys were born at the W. A. Smith place at Red Mud, south of Spur.

Son and Era moved to Belen, New Mexico in 1938. In 1941 they moved to the Sheratt Ranch, 25 miles from Sudan, Texas and on January 26, 1942, they had twin boys, Berle B. and Merle M. In 1944, they moved to Whiteface, Texas in Cochran County where they leased several sections of land and bought cattle.

In 1945 son became Deputy Sheriff of Cochran County where he served until his retirement in 1968. In 1971 Son suffered a stroke and he and Era moved back to Spur and he was in the Spur Care Center until his death on May 8, 1979.

Era bought her home at 415 West Harris and lived there until 1981 when she entered the Spur Care Center. Era passed from this life January 6, 1988.

Written by: Jack McKay

Submitted by Ron Brantner

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Obituary

Walter Vernon "Son" McKay, born August 23, 1900, died Tuesday morning at 1:45 in Crosbyton Hospital.

"Son" was born in the Red Mud community and as a small boy watched the town of Spur being built. He lived in Dickens County and as a young cowboy worked for the 6666, Swenson and Matador and Pitchfork Ranches. He was a model cowboy in his time.

In December 1923 he married Era Vay Hoover and had 6 sons. In 1939 they moved to far West Texas where he ranched. In 1945 "Son" became deputy sheriff of Cochran County. He retired in the mid 60's.

In December 1971 he suffered a stroke and was moved back to Spur where he has resided in the Spur Care Center up until the time of his death.

He is survived by his wife, Era Vay of Spur; sons, Bill, Channing; Don, Odessa; Joe, San Pablo, CA; Jack, Spur; Berle, Greenville; and Merle, Lewisville; 13 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Services were held at 2 p.m. May 9 in the Church of Christ.

©The Texas Spur, May 10, 1979

Era McKay
Services for Era Vay McKay, 83 were held January 8, at 2 p.m. in the Highway 70 Church of Christ with Richard Trull, minister, officiating.

Mrs. McKay died, January 6, in the Crobyton Clinic Hospital following lengthy illness. She was born October 3, 1904, in Dublin. She has been a resident of Dickens County since 1971, coming here from Whiteface. She was a homemaker and lived the early part of her life in Dickens County.

She married W.V. McKay on December 4, 1922, in Dickens. He died May 8, 1979. She was a member of the Church of Christ.

Survivors include six sons, Billy McKay, Channing; Don McKay, Odessa; Joe McKay, San Pablo, CA; Jack McKay, Spur; Merele McKay, Lewisville and Bele McKay, Lake Dallas; four brothers, Ray Hoover, Ruidoso, NM; A.V. (Buddy Hoover, Abilene; Doyle Hoover, Lovington, NM; Travis Hoover, Spur; six sisters, Marie Brantner, Boise City, OK; Lee Oma Cross, Ilene Dnaway and Norma Arnold, all of Spur; Robbie Briscoe, Levelland and Eurena Morin, Lubbock, 13 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

Pallbearers included Randy Arnold, Greg Arnold, Richard Stewart, Bill Hoover, Les McKay and Jeff Lee.

Burial was in Spur Memorial Cemetery under direction of Campbell Funeral Home, Spur.

©The Texas Spur, January 14, 1988

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