Whitehall -  Edith R. McKee, 85, passed away at her home surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 following several weeks in Glens Falls Hospital.

She was born on December 23, 1927 in Whitehall, N.Y., the daughter of the late Martino and Maria (Natale) Gallo.

Edith attended Whitehall High School graduating with the class of "1946".  She was employed with the New York Telephone Company as a switchboard operator for 18 years.  The rest of her life was spent caring for her family for whom she adored.

She was a communicant of Our Lady of Hope Roman Catholic Church in Whitehall.  She was also a member of the Fawns of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Whitehall Elks Lodge #1491 in Whitehall.

Edith and her late husband, Donald V. McKee were united in marriage in Whitehall on September 12, 1948.  Donald passed away on September 22, 1996 after 48 wonderful years together.

She will be deeply missed by her family and all who had the privilege to know her.

Edith enjoyed bowling, bingo, shopping, swimming, dancing with her late husband Donald, and sporting activities with her children and grandchildren.  Edith enjoyed watching her granddaughters Maria McKee and Connor McKee dance, her daughter-in-law Theresa McKee and her granddaughters Jeanelle Collyer and Dannielle Therrien sing.  She also enjoyed vacationing anytime, anywhere, any place, and her bags were always packed and ready to go.  Most of all, she enjoyed the company of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives and friends.

Besides her parents and her husband Donald, V. McKee, she is predeceased by her brother: Rosario Gallo, her two sisters: Antoinette Bottoni and Grace Harbers, and her in-laws: Vernon and Jeannette McKee.

In Mom's final days, when we all told her we loved her, she would say "right back at you".

Survivors include her eight children: Michele J. Therrien of Queensbury, Jeanette Craig and her husband Steven of Fort Ann, Mary Collyer and her husband Kenneth of Queensbury, Vernon McKee and his wife Sharon of Rutland, Vt., James McKee and his companion Debbie Charpentier of Whitehall, John McKee and his fiancé Amy Piper of Whitehall, Donald McKee of Whitehall, and Martin McKee and his wife Theresa of Whitehall, her two sisters, Mary Hogben of Schenectady, and Florence Pawlaczk of West Rutland, Vt., her 16 grandchildren: Colleen Kroeze, Lara LaPoint, Dannielle Therrien, Jamie McKee, Steven Craig, Maxi Dillon, Erin Mohr, Kenneth Collyer, Jason McKee, Jeanelle Collyer, Sarah Graham, Justin McKee, Maria McKee, Travis McKee, Brianne McKee and Connor McKee, 15 great-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at Our Lady of Hope Roman Catholic Church, Skene Street, Whitehall, with Reverend Rendell Torres, pastor officiating.  A Rite of Committal will be held in the spring at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery in Whitehall.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 pm today, (Friday, February 22, 2013) at the Michael G. Angiolillo Funeral Home, 210 Broadway, Whitehall.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers or food, contributions may be made Edith's memory to the Shiners Hospital for Children, 516 Carew St. Springfield, MA 01104-2396, Whitehall Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 333, Whitehall, N.Y.  12887, High Peaks Hospice & Palliative Care Corporate Office: PO Box 840, Saranac Lake, NY 12983-0840, the Timothy Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Whitehall High School, 87 Buckley Road, Whitehall, N.Y.  12887 or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research, 100 Glen Street, Glens Falls, N.Y.  12801.