La Ronge man taken by COVID-19 remembered as great father, outdoorsman

Ron Mackay’s family doesn’t want him to be remembered for the way he was taken from this world, but for the way he lived in it and the way he loved it.

The 85-year-old former owner of Red’s Camps in La Ronge died on March 31 at Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital from COVID-19.

Mackay was a mainstay in Saskatchewan’s north for decades, first arriving as a conservation officer in Cumberland House in the early ’60s. After stints in Prince Albert and other locales, he and his wife settled in La Ronge and bought Red’s Camps in 1971.

There they thrived for decades, hosting celebrities on fishing trips and helping build community in the La Ronge region.

“He loved nature, he loved the lake,” Mackay’s daughter, Lisa Saelhof, told 650 CKOM.

“He loved people. All of his friends, all of his neighbours. He really enjoyed everything about the north.”

Mackay’s five children have been receiving hundreds of messages of well-wishes and condolences since their father’s death, a sign to them of his impact during life.

Saelhof said her dad was involved in building curling rinks and hockey programs, helped establish the Kinsmen Club in La Ronge and was heavily engaged in the Legion.

At Red’s Camps, Mackay’s claim to provincial fame was hosting big-time names like Johnny Cash and the Cousteau brothers.

“We all laughed that our dog could speak French because (the Cousteaus) trained him,” Saelhof said.

“The camp was exciting, there was always something to do.”

While Mackay had a reputation as big as the north, Saelhof will always treasure the smaller moments with the man she knew as simply “Dad.”

“We spent hours and hours as children out on the lake, in the boat, with wildlife,” she said. “He taught us everything we needed to know in life, and raised us well.”

Source of infection unknown

Mackay tested positive for COVID-19 after he was taken to hospital with severe respiratory symptoms. When his results came back, his wife was also tested despite no symptoms. She is still in isolation after a positive test.

The family isn’t sure how the couple contracted the virus.

“They were social distancing, they were being very careful,” Saelhof said.

She noted the couple did attend a funeral on March 14, but no other people who were there had tested positive for the virus to her knowledge. The couple also sanitized and showered immediately after getting home from the service to minimize their chances.

Besides that, the pair had only done their weekly grocery shopping.

“It’s just baffling to all of us,” Saelhof said.

The family is now warning the public that this shows anyone can get the virus despite precautions.

Saelhof said her family will start working out a plan for a memorial service for Mackay once their mother is out of isolation.

However, she did indicate the plan is to hold off until the pandemic restrictions are eased.

“A lot of people are talking virtual funerals,” she said. “That wasn’t Dad’s style. His style was people.”