James "Jay" Mckee

James "Jay"� McKee, 47, of Ozark, Missouri, passed away Monday, February 28, 2011. The son of James K. and Patricia Ann (Verporter) McKee was born on October 17, 1963 in Ionia, Michigan. Jay was united in marriage to Leslie Brawner on October 27, 2007. He received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University, and his Masters of Business Administration, and his Ph.D in Business Administration from Columbia State University. His most recent employment was as a Vice President of food service operations manager over several private and public colleges. He was a graduate of Grand Rapids Culinary Academy. He dearly loved his family, friends, and traditions. He was an avid fly-fisherman, a collector of guitars, and he enjoyed playing bluegrass music with the local Woodshed Boys Band. His favorite place in the world was Mackinac Island, Michigan. Jay was the nucleus of his community in which he lived by sharing his wonderful cooking such as Super Soup Sunday. He definitely was a super caregiver for everyone. He and Leslie had resided in Ozark the past three years, formerly of Branson, and Delaware, Ohio. He is survived by his wife Leslie, two sons, Nicholas Ryan McKee and his fianc� Jamie Goddard, of Richwood, Ohio, Ashton Coburn of Ozark, his daughter and her fianc� Katelin Jessica McKee and Benjamin Turner of Grand Rapids, Michigan, his parents, James and Lisa McKee of Muir, Michigan, two sisters Kimberly and her husband Jerry Ritz, of Greenville, Michigan, Jennifer O"�Connor of Ionia, Michigan, his in-laws Robert and Llewellyn Brawner, of Collierville, Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his mother Patricia Ann McKee in 2000. A memorial funeral service will be at 6 PM Saturday, March 5, at Union Hill Church of Christ, Nixa, Missouri. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the donor"�s choice.