By: Dorothy Cooper

Dorothy Cooper — Sun, 26 May 2024 07:04:04 +0000

Mr. McKee was my math teacher in Walla Walla, Washington in 1962, I believe he was either student teaching or it was his first teaching position from college. He was also a baseball coach for the boys team. Poor Mr. McKee tried his hardest to teach me algebra & it was just impossible. He never got upset with me, he never made me feel bad, he just kept trying. I hadn't seen him since 1962-1963, but I and my group of girlfriends never forgot him. I worked at the Clark County Health Department & noticed his name on a table for the Board of Health meeting one day. I found a picture of me & my girlfriends that he taught at Garrison Jr High in Walla Walla, wrote each of our names on the back of the picture, put it in an envelope at the location where he would be sitting. After the meeting our director came into my office area & said "here she is" & and it was Mr. McKee. We laughed and talked for a bit & I told him how much I appreciated him during those days of Junior High School & his patience with me. I asked him too if it was ok for me to now call him Al, he smiled & said he would love it & by all means to call him Al. To this day I still refer to him as Mr. McKee. I called my girlfriends & told them of his passing & they each remembered him with admiration & a smile in their voices. He was truly a wonderful man & he will be remembered & missed by many people.

By: Debbie A. Slack

Debbie A. Slack — Fri, 10 May 2024 03:10:00 +0000

I graduated from SHS in 1975. Al was my teacher at Carson Elementary School when I was in 6th grade. I loved Mr. McKee for all the reasons already mentioned and more. He was one of a kind. Fast forward many, many years and in 2004 I applied for a job in the County Commissioners office in Skamania County when Al was a commissioner. I was selected to be interviewed by the Board of Commissioners for the position. I hadn't seen him since my early 20's. I was nervous for the interview, but still very much at ease recalling what a great teacher he was. I called him Mr. McKee throughout the interview. After the interview we enjoyed a nice visit and caught up. Soon after, he called me to offer the job, on one stipulation, I had to start calling him Al! No more Mr. McKee. I enjoyed working with him for several years at the County and loved the person he really was as much as the teacher I had adored all those years ago. Rest in peace Al, you'll never be forgotten.

Comments on: Opinion: Remembering a giant of a man

By: Dorothy Cooper

By: Debbie A. Slack