H. McKee

H. Marie McKee

1943 ~ 2015

Layton, Utah – Helen Marie McKee, 71, sadly passed away on Friday, April 24, 2015 at Ogden Regional Medical Center.  She was a woman with nine lives who possessed a strong will to live and fought to the very end.  We were all blessed to have her in our lives and so fortunate to have been by her side in her journey.  She will be greatly missed.

She was born on October 10, 1943 in Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of Arthur D. and Helen Burns Gudmundson.  She graduated from Ben Lomond High School and then St. Benedicts Hospital School of Nursing in 1964.  She began her nursing career at Dunn Nursing Home in Ogden.  In 1967, and for the next 25 years, she worked for Hercules Aerospace (now Alliant Tech) as the Plant Supervisor and Occupational Health Nurse overseeing two medical clinics and hundreds of personnel.  She met many of her lifelong friends at Hercules and dedicated herself to all its employees.  She also worked at St. Benedict’s Hospital as a part-time Charge Nurse in the Behavioral Health Unit.  She then worked for Holy Cross Hospital, Genex Services, and Columbia Brigham City Hospital.  While maintaining full time employment, she also held a second job for many years as a Field Nurse for the U. S. Department of Labor.  She was a very accomplished woman and held many certifications.  She was one of only a handful of Certified Occupational Health Nurses in the State.  She also was a National E.M.T. Instructor, Certified in Spirometry and Audiometric, State Certified Intoxilizer Technician, and OWCP R.N. Certified.

Marie’s greatest joys in life were the times spent with her loving family and soul mate “Deano”.  He was a loving father figure to her daughters throughout his life.  She and Dean McKee were married for 30 years and during that time they enjoyed boating with all the family at the Ogden Yacht Club at Pineview, Lake Powell, and the Gorge, snowmobiling in Yellowstone and camping with her sisters and brother.  She always looked forward to family gatherings with the whole crew at pool parties and dinners.  She cherished Saturday nights - dancing and dinner with Dean.  She enjoyed making dried flower arrangements and working in her yard.  Her beloved dogs Molly and Bessie were a great comfort to her after Deans passing.  She cherished her daughters and their families as well as all her nieces and nephews.  They all meant the world to her.

Marie was married earlier to Kent Lasater and Gary Kapp and had a beautiful daughter with each of them; both are wonderful men and adoring fathers.

Marie is survived by her mother, Helen Gudmundson, 99; brother, Leon Gudmundson; sister, Judy Krull; daughters, Kim Lasater (Brad) Shepherd and Dannie (Kapp) Payton Wiggins; stepdaughter, Kristine McKee Knowlton; five grandchildren, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Alisha, Brandon, Nicholas; and great-grandchild, Adelynn.  She was preceded in death by her father, Arthur Gudmundson; sister, Karen Crase; brothers-in-law, Scott Crase and Larry Krull; sister-in-law, Georgeann Gudmundson; and nephew, David Gudmundson.

The family wishes to thank all the nurses, doctors, therapists and staff who gave her such loving care at McKay Dee, Davis ICU, Promise Hospital, and finally at Ogden Regional.  A personal thanks to the nurses, Haley, Andrea, Jackie and Dr. Christensen at Ogden Regional IMC for their compassionate care of our mom and her family.

A Celebration of her life will be held on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 11 a.m. Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd.  Friends may visit with family on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. at the mortuary.  Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Rd.