Mollie Rea was born in Washington DC to Alice Rea and William Rustin Howard, the third of three children. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School with numerous Varsity letters in several sports, including tennis, golf, and canoeing and could never understand how she had totally un-athletic children. She attended Meredith College in North Carolina, but came back to Maryland to finish college and got her teaching certificate. Her father bought property and built summer homes and a golf course in Tall Timbers. Mollie Rea taught at Great Mills Elementary School, worked at the club house, went sailing, played golf and went dancing on weekends at Tall Timbers Tavern.
Mollie Rea met local waterman, Reese McKay at her father’s golf course. He’d been sailing just off Tall Timbers when the wind died down and he decided to check out the golf course. She “loaned” him some golf balls, telling him to bring back what he didn’t lose. As he told the story, he lost them all along with his heart and cheerfully paid for the rest of his life. When she agreed to marry him, Reese built a house with three golf greens on his father’s farm, but with 5 children in 9 years, she never had much time to play or sail. She learned early in her marriage at her mother-in-law’s advice to leave the dishes, grab the children, get to the wharf and on the fishing boat if she wanted to see her husband in the evening. She loved being out on the water and enjoyed catching big fish.
She converted to Catholicism when she married and kept her ecumenical spirit throughout her life. She found God everywhere-in a sunset, a summer field, the Potomac River and children’s laughter.
Reese drove a school bus for the County and after the children got in school, so did Mollie Rea. She took classes at St. Mary’s College and taught at Little Flower School, which the children attended. Until she retired, she drove the Bookmobile around the county helping folks find their perfect read. She was an active member of the Farm Bureau and Sweet Adelines local singing group. She enjoyed traveling, bowling, fishing, sports, golfing, singing, playing bridge and other card games with friends and family.
Her best friend forever was Charlotte Zirpel Krumke, who was born 5 days after her in the same hospital. They lived across the street from each other growing up; both married St. Mary’s County watermen and in over 90 years, never lived more than a few miles apart. They knew how to have fun and share joy with those around them.
Mollie Rea and Reese traveled some after retirement, including a cruise in Alaska, cross country to Montana and numerous trips to Florida, all of which involved fishing. After Reese died in 2008, Mollie Rea spent winters in Texas with her daughter, Mary Carolyn Prett, until her health failed. She was cared for at home by her daughters, Linda Gateau and Sharon McKay. She enjoyed watching the Nationals WIN on TV and collected their Bobbleheads (She would nap if they were losing). To the end, she could remember all the words to the songs from the 40’s and 50’s and sing along with the music channels. She was a joy to be with.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roland Reese, parents, sister Carolyn Bayless Humes, brother Billy, daughter-in-law Barbara Wheeler McKay, and two grandsons, Kevin Thomas McKay and Bradford Buie McKay. As well as her daughters, she is survived by her sons Roland Rea McKay and Thomas Allen McKay, daughter-in-law Toni McKay, sons-in-law Chip Gateau and David Prett, grandchildren Beverly Rea McKay, Jason Roland McKay, Candace McKay St. Germain and Chad Reese McKay, great grandchildren Tyler, Trevor, Joshua, Olivia and Reese McKay.
Mollie Rea always looked on the bright side of everything. When asked why she never complained, she said “nobody wants to listen to that”. When she had a slight stroke while playing bridge with her Cedar Lane group, she woke up in the hospital and said “six spades”. When asked if she had been bidding that when she passed out and she said “If I had a hand that good, I would have had a heart attack”.
She declined in recent years and was cared for by Hospice for the last few months. She went peacefully in her sleep in her own house as she wanted. We will remember her ever smiling, laughing and singing. She brought love into so many lives. She will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to KevinStrongFoundation.com for Brain Cancer research or Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
Family and friends are invited to visit on December 20, 2023 from 10:30-12:00. Funeral mass at noon at St. George Catholic Church, 19199 St. George’s Church Road, Valley Lee, MD 20692. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. A repast will follow in the church hall.
Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.
