Marilyn J. MacKay, died Monday, July 11, 2016 at the age of 73 in Chicago, Illinois, in the presence of her family. She was the beloved wife of the late Dr. Ian Donald MacKay; dear mother of Laura (David) MacKay Hansen of Chicago; loving grandmother of Matthew, Jacob, and Zachary Hansen; and fond sister of Robert Checaloski, Donald Checaloski, and Carol Grant.

A graduate of St. Mary's Academy and Hotel Dieu Nursing School in Windsor, Ontario, she worked as a Registered Nurse at Harper Hospital in Detroit, where she met her husband.

After taking several years off to raise her daughter, she had a second career as a television journalist.

She chronicled the world's notables throughout her award-winning journalism career. Her nationally syndicated PBS television series, "Marilyn MacKay's Autograph: Profiles of Excellence" received 5 consecutive Emmy Awards for its in-depth interviews of high-profile newsmakers.

She began her journalism career in news for the CBC, where she hosted a daily talk show, "Insight," and, later, a weekly interview program, "Autograph with Marilyn MacKay." While with the CBC, she created and hosted numerous television documentaries and specials, including: "A Day of Sadness" (Winner, CBC National News Award for Outstanding Documentary), "The Iranian Hostage Crisis," special reports on Living and Dying in Dignity, a 5-part series on Breast Cancer, and the documentary, "Freud's Last Witness."

She was the first female keynote speaker in Washington, D.C. for the 13th Annual A.C.E.T. International Conference for Excellence in Media, as well as a member of the President's Task Force for the Prevention of Teen Suicide.

Always adventurous, she remained curious and engaged in the world throughout her life, traveling widely to locations such as Romania, India and China. She will be remembered as someone who loved her family and friends deeply, and who always remained young at heart.

Visitation Friday, July 15, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 North State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60610 until the time of the 10:30 a.m. Funeral Mass.