Invictus 

In memory of loving husband, father, grandfather, friend, teacher, and mentor Jim McKay.  

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James “Jim” William McKay, 86 of Castle Rock, Colorado, passed away at home on May 19, 2022 of heart failure.  

Jim was born on June 25, 1935, to James Henry and Iva Viola McKay in Grand Junction, Colorado.  After graduating from Palisade High School, he attended Mesa College where he first met his future wife Theressa aka “Teddy”.  Jim then went to the University of Colorado Boulder where he earned his BA and MA in History.

Jim and Teddy married in 1957, and welcomed their daughter Suzanne in 1964. 

After graduation, Jim landed his first job as a teacher, in Lingle, Wyoming.  Teddy and Jim then moved to Castle Rock, Colorado in the late 1950s/early 1960s and Jim would go on to teach social studies at Douglas County High School for over 30 years.  

Jim was an active member of the community. He was a lifelong advocate for Douglas County educators as a founding member of the Douglas County Federation of Teachers and later served as president of the local and state level organizations.  He was a member of the Douglas County Democrats and worked on a variety of local, state, and national campaigns.  Students, colleagues and friends noted his integrity, intelligence, sense of humor, and generosity.  Having survived polio as a toddler, James’ strength and tenacity minimized the impact of his limited mobility.

After retirement, Jim and Teddy  enjoyed many years of traveling the world, gardening, and socializing with family and their many friends.  

Jim is survived by his wife Teddy, his daughter Suzi McKay and her husband Bob Shea, and Jim’s beloved grandchildren Erinn Shea and Kyle (Sara Tanabe) Romero.  

A Celebration of Life will be held at Hudson Gardens, on the evening of June 25, 2022, time to be determined. Friends of the family are invited to attend.  In lieu of flowers, friends are invited to donate to the American Civil Liberties Union at ACLU.org.