Weslie Ann McKay passed away peacefully on January 31, 2022. She was 84.
Weslie was born on March 22, 1937, in Glendale, California, to Thomas and Lillian McKay. She graduated from Glendale High School in 1955. She attended UCLA and earned a bachelor’s degree in teaching.
She was passionate about teaching and working with kids, teaching middle school history and English for 35 years. Most of that time was spent at Paul Revere Junior High School, where she was known as Weslie Maddox. Later in her career, Weslie earned a master’s degree in computers from Pepperdine University.
Weslie moved into the Palisades community in 1963 with her husband, Charles Large, whom she married in 1958. They divorced in 1968, but Weslie remained in the same house in the Palisades until 2018, when she moved to a care facility in Santa Monica.
Weslie loved living in the Palisades and was an active and valuable community member, participating in the Pacific Palisades Women’s Club, the Garden Club and Temescal Canyon Association. She was an active member of the Palisades Presbyterian Church for much of the 55 years she lived in the Palisades.
She enjoyed traveling, hiking, camping, reading, gardening, rescuing dogs and any other animal that needed a home. She also enjoyed spending time with friends and family. In retirement, she traveled to Oregon regularly to spend time with her daughter and beloved grandson.
She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth, and her grandson, Alexander. Her family and friends will forever miss her love and kindness. Her daughter wrote: “I am grateful for all you gave me and taught me, Mom. I love you and miss you every day.”
Wesley was a wonderful teacher and human being who remembered her students – and their parents! – for many years after they had left Paul Revere. She will be remembered with kind thoughts.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Barbara. It is very comforting at this difficult time to have those who knew her share their memories of my Mom.