Helena Blanchard Mckay Vivona

Helena Blanchard McKay Vivona, 86, widow of Fred S. McKay and Dominic A. Vivona, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 7, 2025, at her residence in Franke at Seaside in Mount Pleasant, SC. The relatives and friends of Helena are invited to attend her Mass of Christian Burial 11:00 AM, Monday, February 17, 2025, in Grace Hall at Christ Our King Catholic Church, Mount Pleasant. The Rite of Committal will follow at Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in Grace Hall.

Helena was born in Charleston on July 16, 1938. She spent her early childhood years in downtown Charleston growing up on Pendleton Street, attending Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Sacred Heart Catholic School. When the Blanchard family moved to Fenwick Hall on Johns Island, she attended St. Patrick Catholic School and then Bishop England High School. She graduated from BEHS in 1956, where she played basketball, participated in numerous clubs and organizations, and met her first husband, Fred. She attended Dunbarton College in Washington, D.C. as a Voice Major.  Helena and Fred were married in 1960 following Fred's graduation from The Citadel. They were married for 41 years until Fred's passing in 2001.

Helena's professional career focused on singing, primarily at church for Sunday Mass as a Cantor and Choir Member at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Blessed Sacrament, and Christ Our King (where she had been a parishioner since 1975). Helena sang at many funerals and weddings for family members and friends. In her final years, she even sang for the staff and other residents at Franke. In addition to her career as a vocalist, Helena and her business partner, the late Bob Register, owned and operated McKay-Register Interior Designers for many years. In her twilight years, she enjoyed assisting her second husband, Dominic, whom she married in 2003, with his carnival/fair business, Amusements of America, traveling to many destinations in the Eastern part of the United States, playing many carnivals and fairs, including the Coastal Carolina Fair in Ladson, SC.

Throughout her life, Helena made a concentrated effort to bring joy to other people, whether it was through her singing, decorating their homes/businesses, or entertaining them at the carnival/fair. Her uplifting personality often brought smiles and laughter to others.  Throughout her adult years, she enjoyed playing tennis at Snee Farm Country Club with her ladies' teams and mixed doubles with Fred. She derived much pleasure from both the competition and social aspect of tennis.

Helena is survived by her two children, Frederick S. McKay, Jr. (Claudia) and Beth McKay Fisher (John); Dominic's four children, Dominic A. Vivona, Jr. (Debi), Pia Vivona Dobos (Scott), Marco Vivona (Lourdes), and Dario Vivona (Joseph); her three grandchildren, Carson Fisher Mashack (Andy), Erin Fisher DiGregorio (Aaron), and Madison Fisher; her two step-grandchildren Laura Kirby Pickard (Matt) and Elizabeth Kirby; Dominic's grandchildren, Dominic Vivona III, Thomas Vivona, Maddelena Vivona, Anthony Vivona, Sophia Vivona, Zachary Dobos (Lauren), Marc Dobos, Matthew Dobos, and Marco Vivona, Jr.; and her great-grandchildren, Mason Deluca, Matthias Pickard, Christian Pickard, and Logan Pickard. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law Fay McKay and Betty Blanchard, brother-in-law Phil Vivona, as well as many cousins, nephews and nieces in the Blanchard, McKay, and Vivona families.

Helena was predeceased by her parents, Claude and Nellie Blanchard, her first husband, Fred, her second husband, Dominic, her six Blanchard brothers (Claude, Ned, Bobby, Paul, Charles, and David), two sisters-in-law (Mary Santos Blanchard and Kathy O'Hagan Blanchard), brother-in-law Larry E. McKay, Jr., two nephews Kevin Blanchard and Mark Blanchard, and her Vivona family members - brothers-in-law Morris Vivona and Matt Fontana, sisters-in-law Ann Vivona Fontana, Carol Vivona, Ethel Vivona, and Jane Vivona.

Helena's family would like to express sincere gratitude to the staff at Franke who provided her with compassionate care for over three years. The family is also grateful to the Lutheran Hospice nurses at Franke who provided her with palliative care in the final weeks of her life.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bishop England High School, 363 Seven Farms Drive, Charleston, SC 29492.

Arrangements by James A. McAlister Funeral Home, Inc. (843) 766-1365.