Mackay Tanner

Mackay Taylor Tanner, of Golden, Colorado, died of complications from throat cancer on Saturday, April 21st, 2012. She was born Mackay Taylor Schneider in Appleton, Wisconsin on January 5th, 1959. She attended Edison Elementary, Roosevelt Junior High and Appleton HS East, and graduated from Earlham College in 1981. She obtained a Masters of Science degree as an OB/GYN nurse practitioner from the University of Colorado in 1989. She married Donald Gallen Tanner of Orange County, California on September 19, 1992 at her family's summer home on Big Island Pond in New Hampshire.

Mackay was kind and generous with her family and friends. She was the anchor of her trio in Colorado, and spread love and good cheer to her extended family. She loved nature and looked for ways to be outdoors and for opportunities to learn about the mysteries of the world around us. Her deep compassion spread from the animal world to all those in difficulty. She had an independent spirit and a strong sense of justice. Her strong will, positive outlook and bright spirit shone through whether she was fighting for a cause she believed in or fighting cancer.

She is survived by her husband Donald G. Tanner, daughter Catherine Mackay Tanner, father Ben Ross Schneider, Jr. of Brookline, MA, sister Devon Mackay Knight of Vancouver, BC, brother Ben R Schneider III of Brookline, MA and brother Nick Schneider of Lyons, CO, and four nieces & nephews: Anders Schneider & Amelia Thelen, Nathan & Emily Schneider.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, 30 April at 1pm at Wellshire Presbyterian Church, 2999 S. Colorado Blvd, Denver 80222. In lieu of flowers, you may wish to contribute to one of the organizations that Mackay supported University of Colorado Hospital Cancer Research, Rocky Mountain Greyhound Adoption, Shambala Mountain Center, Dolphin Research Center http://www.dolphins.org/, Friends of Big Island Pond http://www.friendsofbigislandpond.org/
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