[2] She was one of ten siblings and the sister of virtuoso guitarist Phil Keaggy.

[3] Prior to her acting career, Kay was a singer, having started at the age of 6.

She later toured with Gene Ryan's orchestra, and by the time she was 17, she had become a headliner in supper clubs.

Her initial foray into acting occurred through Little Theatre productions in the Hollywood area.

[5] In an interview dated August 14, 2018, Kay's brother, Phil Keaggy, revealed that Mary Ellen had passed away in 2017 at the age of 87.