Obituary of Charles C. Mackey

DELMAR - Charles C. Mackey, Jr., "Charlie", died on December 7, 2013 at his home in Delmar, New York after a long illness. Charlie was born in Cranston, Rhode Island. He moved with his wife Nancy to Albany, New York in 1968 where he raised three children and worked professionally for the State of New York. He received his B.S. from Providence College in 1955 and his Master's Degree from Boston College in 1960. In 1966 he received a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from the University of Connecticut, and in 1974 he earned a Doctorate in Education from SUNY Albany. He was formerly Director of Teacher Education, Certification and State Scholarship Programs in the Rhode Island Department of Education. Charlie was a teacher and administrator for Rhode Island Secondary Schools, and an adjunct professor of Education in Rhode Island Colleges and Universities. Dr. Mackey was lifelong educator who retired in 2005 as Executive Coordinator of the Office of Teaching Initiatives in the New York State Education Department. In this position he directed the development of the department's new teacher assessment programs, and had responsibility for teacher practices and standards statewide. Dr. Mackey was active in NASDTEC for thirty-eight years serving twice as president (1980-81, 1992-93). Dr. Mackey's tireless efforts on behalf of teacher educators and teacher practices were honored in 2002 when he was named the first recipient of the Charles C. Mackey Excellence in Service Leadership Award, an award given annually since then for excellence in the field of teacher service. Charlie was also a commissioned Lieutenant in the US Army from 1955-1957 following his graduation from Providence College in 1955. Charlie is survived by his wife Nancy Cowell Mackey, his sisters Martha Lomax (Trumbull, CT) and Arlene Cummings (Old Chatham, NY) and three children (Charles Mackey III (Lake George, NY), Kara Peery (Racine, WI) and Geoffrey Mackey (Milwaukee WI). He was also the proud grandfather "Pa" of 8 grandchildren, Christopher, Michael, Luke, Kevin, Brooke and Morgan Mackey and Kadyn and Conner Peery. The family wishes to thank Dr. Eric Molho and his staff for the many years of competent and compassionate care they provided Charlie. The family also acknowledges the care given and the time spent by Dr. James Leyhane and his in home caregivers Kristin and Sue for their expert care and devotion to Charlie. Relatives and friends are invited to call on Wednesday from 4 to 7 pm at the Applebee Funeral Home, 403 Kenwood Ave., Delmar. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 9:30 am Thursday at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 35 Adams Place, Delmar. Burial will be in Bethlehem Cemetery, Delmar. Contributions in memory of Charlie may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc., 135 Parkinson Ave., Staten Island, New York 10305, or to the Community Hospice Foundation, 295 Valley View Blvd., Rensselaer, New York 12144.