We were deeply saddened by the passing of our esteemed former colleague Annette McKee, who died on 25 May 2020. Following a career as a librarian, initially at Queen’s University Belfast (where she had gained her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959), Annette began working for the Foundation in the 1970s alongside Catherine Blumsom and continued working for us for some 40 years before her well-earned retirement in 2015.
Her diligence and attention to detail meant that Annette was much in demand as a researcher by the Foundation, and the most difficult and thorniest research commissions were often assigned to her as we knew she would exhaust all avenues to try to find information to assist our clients. Annette, Catherine and their fellow researcher Etta Roberts were often to be found exploring old graveyards looking for a relevant headstone.
In recognition of her skills Annette was appointed a Senior Researcher and played a major part in the delivery of our family history conferences and in mentoring new researchers for the Foundation. Many of us can point to the help and advice she provided as we were starting out in the archives. The contribution that she and Catherine Blumsom made to the Foundation was formally recognised in December 2016 with the presentation of gifts and honorary life membership of the Ulster Genealogical and Historical Guild.
Annette lived much of her life in Killinchy, County Down, and was a founder member of the Killyleagh Branch of the North of Ireland Family History Society. She is survived by her three children – Peter, Neil and Judith. Annette’s husband, His Honour Judge John McKee, died in 2018. Annette will be very sadly missed by all of her friends and former colleagues who worked with her over so many years. [Gillian Hunt]