Mary Elizabeth Rhodes and David Harkness McKellar
DAVID HARKNESS MCKELLAR, son of SARAH LEWIS SCOTT and DAVID SKENE MCKELLAR, was born December 18, 1911 in San Antonio, Bexar, Texas,56, 22 and died January 21, 1992 in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia.56, 37
He married MARY ELIZABETH RHODES on February 24, 1940 in Fayetteville, Washington, Arkansas,377, 2331 daughter of ELIZABETH INEZ RISSER and CHARLES ROBERT RHODES. She was born June 27, 1913 in Osceola, Mississippi, Arkansas,8622 and died January 10, 2000 in Savannah Rehab, Chatham County, Georgia.56, 168
Children of MARY ELIZABETH RHODES and DAVID HARKNESS MCKELLAR:
- Son
- Son
- Son
Education
Mary E. Rhodes
- graduated from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Washington, Arkansas in 1934 in Arts and Sciences377, 6669
- Member of Chi Omega
David H. McKellar
- graduated from University of Texas at Austin, Travis County, Texas in Chemical Engineering377
- Member of Chi Phi
Marriage Announcements and News
San Antonio Express, January 30, 19401345
Arkansas Wedding Plans Of Wide Interest Here; Engagement Announced
David Harkness McKellar, Well Known Here, to Wed Miss Mary Elizabeth Rhodes on Feb. 24
Notable weddings head the list of important social events in the coming weeks and an announcement made today reveals plans for a February marriage of much interest to San Antonians, depilate the fact that it will take place in another city and state.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Robert Rhodes of Fayetteville, Ark., announce the engagement of their daughter, Mary Elizabeth, to David Harkness McKellar of Ponca City, Okla. The bridegroom-elect is the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Skene McKellar of San Antonio, and the Mariposa Ranch, Musquiz, Mexico.
The bride-elect was graduated from the University of Arkansas, having majored in chemistry, and is a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. Music is one of her many interests and she plays the piano beautifully.
The bridegroom-elect was graduated from Texas Military Institute in San Antonio. He received his degree in chemical engineering at the University of Texas, where he was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. He is now making his home in Ponca City, Okla.
The marriage of the young couple will take place on Saturday, Feb. 24, in the home of her parents in Fayetteville and, after a wedding trip, they will make their home in Ponca City.
Mr. and Mrs. McKellar and Miss Molly McKellar, parents and sister of the bridegroom-elect, will go to Fayetteville to attend the wedding.
Northwest Arkansas Times, February 26, 1940377
Miss Rhodes Marries David McKellar Here Saturday
Miss Mary Elizabeth Rhodes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Robert Rhodes of 16 West Maple street, was married Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the home of the bride's parents, to David Harness McKellar of Ponca City, Okla.
The wedding was a simple home affair without attendants. It was solemnized by Rev. J. P. McConnel before a decoration of huckleberry vine and pine carnations.
The bride was attired in her mother's bridal gown of white crepe meteor with venice lace. It was worn with a long wedding veil of illusion topped by a head-fitting cap of pearls.
She also wore as "something old" a diamond necklace, gift of the groom's family, that had belonged to his grandmother.
The bride's going away suit was of brown and white checks with green trimmings.
The wedding was followed by a plate refreshment of coffee, and cake which the bride cut before donning her going-away clothes.
Mrs. McKellar is a graduate of the University of Arkansas here where she was a member of Chi Omega. Since her graduation she has been employed in the process division of the Continental Oil company of Ponca City, where Mr. McKellar also is connected with the same company, but in the geo-physics department. The young couple will reside in Ponca City upon their return this week from a brief wedding trip.
Mr. McKellar was educated in San Antonio, Texas, and received the degree of chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a member of the Austin chapter of Chi Phi.
Among out-of-town guests here for the wedding were Mr. McKellar's's parents, Mr. and Mrs. David S. McKellar of Muzguis, Coahuila, Mexico; a sister, Miss Molly McKellar of San Antonio; a brother, Alden McKellar, now a student at College Station, Texas; Miss Nell Rhodes, aunt of the bride, from Osceola, Ark; and Miss Catherine Harwell, a cousin, of the same city; Mr. and Mrs. Giles Penick and Mr. and Mrs. Giles Penick Jr., relatives of the bride, all from Tulsa; Herbert Wilkinson and Miss Esther Steele, both of Ponca City.
San Antonio Express, March 10, 1940381
Miss Mary Elizabeth Rhodes Wed Son of San Antonians in Arkansas
Cards Tell of Rites Feb. 24th
Cards have been received announcing the marriage of Miss Mary Elizabeth Rhodes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Robert Rhodes of Fayetteville, Ark. to David Harkness McKellar of Ponca City, Okla., son of Mr. and Mrs. David Skene McKellar of San Antonio and Muzquiz, Mexico. The marriage of the young couple took place on the afternoon of Feb. 24 in the home of the bride's parents.
The living room of the home, where the ceremony took place, was festooned with garlands of huckleberry, the foliage and pink blossoms being hanked on the mantel.
The Rev. John P. McConnell read the marriage lines.
Miss Helen Rhodes, sister of the bride, played the "bridal chorus" from Lohengrin for the processional.
The bride wore her mother's wedding gown of white crepe and Venetian lace. Her veil of bridal illusion was caught to the cap of pearls that had also been word by her mother on her wedding day. She carred a shower bouquet of pink roses. She wore an exquisite necklace that had belonged to the bridegroom's grandmother.
The bride and bridegroom are making their home in Ponca City.
Among the out-of-town guests at the wedding, a number of the bride's relatives having come from Virginia for the ceremony, were the parents, sister and brother of the bridegroom, Mr. and Mrs. McKellar, Miss Molly McKellar and Alden McKellar. Alden, who attends Texas A. and M. College, returned to College Station the following week. Mrs. McKellar is remaining here with her daughter for a few days before joining her husband at the ranch.
Obituaries
Savannah Morning News, January 15, 2000168
Elizabeth R. McKellar
Elizabeth R. McKellar, 86, died Jan. 10 at Savannah Rehab.
She was a native of Arkansas and had lived in Savannah for the past 15 years. She was a graduate of the University of Arkansas and a member of Wilmington Island Presbyterian Church.
SURVIVORS: two sons, Robert R. McKellar of Savannah and Scott McKellar of St. Louis; a sister, Helen McKellar of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a brother, Charles R. Rhodes of Phoenix, Ariz.; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
MEMORIAL SERVICE: 2 p.m. Monday at Wilmington Island Presbyterian Church.
Crystal Chronicle, September, 1997368
I must report with the greatest of sadness that one of our dear TG sisters, Dee Skene McKellar of Houston, a renowned nonoperative transsexual and national TG community leader, died at age 55, September 6, 1997. She had just moved to her new apartment within a few miles of the Montrose area of Houston. On that Saturday evening she had ridden her bicycle into the Montrose area to participate in Q-patrol activities. (Q-patrol is a volunteer civilian radio patrol that serves as eyes and ears for the Houston Police Department on weekend evenings to protect citizens of the Montrose area from homophobic thugs.) As she and her friends were being assigned their rounds, she was felled by a massive heart attack and died before reaching the hospital. CPR was begun and Houston's EMS arrived within minutes of the attack. They treated McKellar with the utmost of professionalism and respect.
During the next day, many of Dee's friends gathered along with her daughter and planned for the activist's remembrance. The service was an open casket, grave-site service on Saturday, September 13th, at 11AM, at the Woodlawn Cemetery. Everyone that knew and loved Dee (or David, as she was known in the NASA area prior to 1991) was invited. The Q-Patrol served as honor guard and all transgendered activists were encouraged to wear whatever activist T-shirt they may have possessed to the service.
Dee McKellar was a national leader in the transgender community. In 1991, she was one of the founding committee members for what has become the International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy (ICTLEP) now in its seventh year. She served as a Director and as its Secretary for several years. With Dee's assistance and push, ICTLEP has been in the foreground of transgender re-integration within the lesbian/gay/bisexual community. Dee assisted in organizing, and attended, both the 2nd National Transgender Event in Washington DC in October 1995 and the 3rd National Transgender Event in Washington DC in February 1997. She spoke to countless people needing help who called, wrote or e-mailed the ICTLEP office.
While serving as a Director of the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association, Dee served on the NLGLA committee responsible for the unanimous NLGLA Board vote in August 1997 that brought bisexuals and transgenders fully within the bylaws of that organization. Dee also served as a Director of Gender PAC for a short time assisting with organizational and bylaw procedures.
At the state level, Dee was one of four who planned, and one of twelve who participated in the transgender protest of the 1995 Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby's March on Austin in the spring of 1995 in Austin. This LGRL event was to call attention of Legislators to violence and hate crimes against gays and lesbians. The transgenders who were with Dee resented being purposefully left out of the LGRL push. As a result of the protest, most of the LGRL marchers were persuaded that the TG protest was right and proper and that TG issues of violence and hate crimes were the same issues as the gay and lesbian folks. Also, in that same legislative session, Dee assisted in the planning, and attended the hearings for transgender legislation dealing with document changes.
On the local level, Dee hosted two Transgender Employment Day events. She was a Director of Spectrum, a member of Q-Patrol, a member of Lesbians in Business (LiB), a volunteer with both the Houston READ Commission and Annise Parker's Campaign for City Council, co-moderator of the local Helping CrossDressers Anonymous (HCDA) chapter, and an instructor on transgender issues for classes of the Houston Police Academy. Dee is know to many others in Houston. She worked for the League of Women Voters several years ago and was a beloved member of the Houston Writers League.
Previously known as David McKellar, she attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed three years of engineering studies. She worked for Boeing in Seattle and later for contractors in the NASA - Clear Lake City area in computer flight simulation design for many of the early astronauts. She had a private pilots' license and loved the skies. She was also an avid photographer. So when you look up at the clouds, smile in case she is about to snap the shutter.
Dee is survived by her proud and loving daughter, her mother and two brothers, and a very large community of friends. Anyone wishing to send cards may do so. Send separate cards to her daughter (Deborah Donaldson) and mother (Elizabeth McKellar) in care of Phyllis Frye at 5707 Firenza, Houston, TX 77035.
Census Records
| Date | Location | Enumerated Names |
|---|---|---|
| April 11, 1930322 | Golden Lake, Mississippi, Arkansas |
|
