Emma Ray McKay

Known as "Ray" throughout her life, McKay was born Emma Ray Riggs in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. She attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music to study piano performance. After returning to Utah, she was one of six students to be awarded degrees from the University of Utah in 1898 where she had attended the Department of Music. Both her parents, Emma Louise Robbins and Obadiah H. Riggs, taught at the University.[2]

While teaching at Madison Elementary School in Ogden, Utah, David O. McKay proposed marriage to her.[2] They were married on January 2, 1901 in Salt Lake City and had seven children together, one of whom died in infancy. As David O. McKay served as the mission president for European Great Britain, she was set apart as a mission president's wife from November 3, 1922 to December 20, 1924.[1] She traveled with and supported David O. McKay as he served as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On November 14, 1970, Emma McKay died.[2]

The McKay Music Library at the University of Utah is named in her honor.[3]

• Utah Mother of the Year Award
• honorary doctorate in humanities from Utah Agricultural College
• Distinguished Achievement Award from Ricks College
• Outstanding Woman Award from Brigham Young University
• Eternal Quest of Womanhood Award from Utah State University[2]

David O. McKay (Husband)

Gravestones of David O. and
Emma Ray McKay

• Hartshorn, Leon R. Remarkable Stories from the Lives of Latter-Day Saint Women. Vol. 1, Spring Creek Book Co., 2006.