Maude O'Rourke McKinney Daley
Birth: 22 Apr 1898, San Francisco, CA
Death: 11 Oct 1994, Northbrook Manor, Willits, Mendocino, California
Spouse: Edward Joseph McKinney
Birth: 9 Sept 1895, Williamette, Illinois
Death: 25 Aug 1956, Los Angeles, CA
Marriage: 24 Aug 1918, San Francisco, CA
Divorce: 2 Aug 1932, San Francisco, CA
Children: Edward Joseph McKinney, Jr. (1920-1963)
Spouse: Walter Leslie Daley
Birth: 13 Mar 1894, San Francisco, CA
Death: 13 Apr 1970, San Francisco, CA
Marriage: 5 Sep 1936, San Francisco, CA
Maude was born on April 22, 1898, at the family home of 314 Harriet Street, San Francisco, in St. Patrick’s Parish. She was eight when the neighborhood burned during the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. Years later, she would describe how she and Irene had put their baby sister Vera into their little red wagon and dragged her through the streets to safety.
The family moved to Potrero Hill and Maude grew up in St. Theresa Parish. She was in the The Call in 1909 with an honorable mention in a children’s painting contest. The 1940 US Census showed that she had a sixth grade education, but a 1914 article in the Chronicle showed that she graduated 8th grade from the Irving Scott School on Tennessee and 22nd, in Dogpatch. Sometime in late 1917 or early 1918, she met Edward McKinney.
Edward was born on September 9, 1895, in Williamette, Illinois. He was the oldest of the three children of Philip McKinney and Frances Colbert. Philip was a carpenter who had moved the family to San Francisco where he became an insurance agent for Western Life and Casualty. Edward worked as an advertising solicitor of the Examiner and probably met Maude through her brother Frank, who also worked in circulation.
According to his military record, Edward was 5’9” and 140 lbs., with grey eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion. He could have been exempt from WWI service due to his being partial support for his mother, but he seems to have served. Maude had an old photo of him in uniform and her granddaughter JoAnn remembers Maude saying he was in the army when she met him. On August 24, 1918, Maude married Edward Joseph McKinney.
During the first two years of their marriage, the McKinneys lived with Maude’s family at 216 ½ Texas Street. Edward was probably still in the Army during this time. There may have been parts of 1920 and 1921 when Edward’s job had him living and working in Los Angeles. His job at the Examiner during the 1920s got him into the newspapers occasionally. In 1922, he was in twice. First, he bought a lot on Fulton Street and 40th Avenue. Second, he was the Chronicle representative who delivered sacks of gold coins to the VA Hospital as Christmas bonuses to WWI vets. In 1923, he rode in the new Chandler motorcar as it sped (at 15 miles per hour) up Powell Hill. It would the beginning of a three-generation love affair with the automobile. In 1929, he competed in the Chronicle Golf Tournament. (He shot a 108.)
Tracking the McKinneys through the Census records and the City Directories is difficult. There was at least one other Edward J McKinney living in San Francisco in the 1920s and 30s (whose wife was also named Maude!) and a naval commander Edward McKinney who was in and out of town (and the newspaper). To compound things, Maude often went by her middle name, Margaret. Edward and Maude seem to be in LA in the 1920 Census but do not appear in any 1930 Census. From 1923 to 1925, they lived at 738 - 41st Avenue. Then they moved into Edward’s parents’ building at 2960 California Street. To confuse things more, Maude appears twice in the same house in the 1940 Census—once as Margaret Daley and once as Maude McKinney.
By 1928, the marriage was in trouble. Maude had filed divorce papers, citing cruelty as the cause. She and Edward seem to have reconciled because that divorce was not finalized. Another big issue became finances. Edward had invested heavily in the stock market, and, on October 24, 1929, he lost everything. JoAnn remembered that Maude had a truck full of stocks later in life, which Joe Costa went through, page by page, to try to find anything worth anything. He was not successful. In the early 1930s they seem to have moved to 1423 - 17th Avenue in St. Anne’s Parish, to a two-flat.
In July of 1932, Maude filed for divorce again and, this time, she followed through. In August, the divorce was granted. Edward, Sr., would continue in San Francisco for a few more years before relocating to Los Angeles where he remarried. He passed away from bronchopneumonia on August 25, 1956, at the age of 61.
Maude took a job with her sister Vera as a telephone operator for the phone company. She and Edward, Jr., moved in with the Costas at 1170 Hampshire. This was in St. Peter’s Parish in the Mission. Just a couple of blocks away, Claire Conlan’s son Bob Hunt lived with his grandmother. It is unknown if they knew about one another. During this time, Maude began to date Walter Daley.
Death: 11 Oct 1994, Northbrook Manor, Willits, Mendocino, California
Spouse: Edward Joseph McKinney
Birth: 9 Sept 1895, Williamette, Illinois
Death: 25 Aug 1956, Los Angeles, CA
Marriage: 24 Aug 1918, San Francisco, CA
Divorce: 2 Aug 1932, San Francisco, CA
Children: Edward Joseph McKinney, Jr. (1920-1963)
Spouse: Walter Leslie Daley
Birth: 13 Mar 1894, San Francisco, CA
Death: 13 Apr 1970, San Francisco, CA
Marriage: 5 Sep 1936, San Francisco, CA
Maude was born on April 22, 1898, at the family home of 314 Harriet Street, San Francisco, in St. Patrick’s Parish. She was eight when the neighborhood burned during the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. Years later, she would describe how she and Irene had put their baby sister Vera into their little red wagon and dragged her through the streets to safety.
The family moved to Potrero Hill and Maude grew up in St. Theresa Parish. She was in the The Call in 1909 with an honorable mention in a children’s painting contest. The 1940 US Census showed that she had a sixth grade education, but a 1914 article in the Chronicle showed that she graduated 8th grade from the Irving Scott School on Tennessee and 22nd, in Dogpatch. Sometime in late 1917 or early 1918, she met Edward McKinney.
Edward was born on September 9, 1895, in Williamette, Illinois. He was the oldest of the three children of Philip McKinney and Frances Colbert. Philip was a carpenter who had moved the family to San Francisco where he became an insurance agent for Western Life and Casualty. Edward worked as an advertising solicitor of the Examiner and probably met Maude through her brother Frank, who also worked in circulation.
According to his military record, Edward was 5’9” and 140 lbs., with grey eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion. He could have been exempt from WWI service due to his being partial support for his mother, but he seems to have served. Maude had an old photo of him in uniform and her granddaughter JoAnn remembers Maude saying he was in the army when she met him. On August 24, 1918, Maude married Edward Joseph McKinney.
During the first two years of their marriage, the McKinneys lived with Maude’s family at 216 ½ Texas Street. Edward was probably still in the Army during this time. There may have been parts of 1920 and 1921 when Edward’s job had him living and working in Los Angeles. His job at the Examiner during the 1920s got him into the newspapers occasionally. In 1922, he was in twice. First, he bought a lot on Fulton Street and 40th Avenue. Second, he was the Chronicle representative who delivered sacks of gold coins to the VA Hospital as Christmas bonuses to WWI vets. In 1923, he rode in the new Chandler motorcar as it sped (at 15 miles per hour) up Powell Hill. It would the beginning of a three-generation love affair with the automobile. In 1929, he competed in the Chronicle Golf Tournament. (He shot a 108.)
Tracking the McKinneys through the Census records and the City Directories is difficult. There was at least one other Edward J McKinney living in San Francisco in the 1920s and 30s (whose wife was also named Maude!) and a naval commander Edward McKinney who was in and out of town (and the newspaper). To compound things, Maude often went by her middle name, Margaret. Edward and Maude seem to be in LA in the 1920 Census but do not appear in any 1930 Census. From 1923 to 1925, they lived at 738 - 41st Avenue. Then they moved into Edward’s parents’ building at 2960 California Street. To confuse things more, Maude appears twice in the same house in the 1940 Census—once as Margaret Daley and once as Maude McKinney.
By 1928, the marriage was in trouble. Maude had filed divorce papers, citing cruelty as the cause. She and Edward seem to have reconciled because that divorce was not finalized. Another big issue became finances. Edward had invested heavily in the stock market, and, on October 24, 1929, he lost everything. JoAnn remembered that Maude had a truck full of stocks later in life, which Joe Costa went through, page by page, to try to find anything worth anything. He was not successful. In the early 1930s they seem to have moved to 1423 - 17th Avenue in St. Anne’s Parish, to a two-flat.
In July of 1932, Maude filed for divorce again and, this time, she followed through. In August, the divorce was granted. Edward, Sr., would continue in San Francisco for a few more years before relocating to Los Angeles where he remarried. He passed away from bronchopneumonia on August 25, 1956, at the age of 61.
Maude took a job with her sister Vera as a telephone operator for the phone company. She and Edward, Jr., moved in with the Costas at 1170 Hampshire. This was in St. Peter’s Parish in the Mission. Just a couple of blocks away, Claire Conlan’s son Bob Hunt lived with his grandmother. It is unknown if they knew about one another. During this time, Maude began to date Walter Daley.
Walter Leslie Daley was born on March 13, 1894, in San Francisco. His parents were Eugene Daley, a mill worker from New York, and Sadie Virginia Eddy, a housewife and native San Franciscan. Walter was tall and slender—5’ 9’, 161 lbs. —with light blue eyes, light brown hair, and a fair complexion. He was a widower with a 6th grade education like Maude. His wife Sarah Savage had died in 1921, leaving Walter with a young son after just five years of marriage. Walter Daley, Jr., would later work for the Call-Bulletin. Walter lived on Vermont Street, which was in St. Theresa’s Parish where the O’Rourkes had grown up. His second wife, Maria Beck, may have been the sister-in-law of Katharine McKinney Beck, and that may be how Walter and Maude met. Walter worked variously as laborer in a fixture company, a muni conductor, and a chauffeur.
In late August 1936, a wedding shower was thrown for Maude by her sisters. Among the attendees were her sisters-in-law Mary and Rose, her cousins Lillie and Peg Conlan, her niece Bette, and her aunt Kate Leonard. No Coogans or Silks seem to have been in attendance, but several Costas were as well as the sister of Walter’s first wife. Walter and Maude were married on September 5, 1936. Walter and Maude were a happy couple and enjoyed life together. He loved and idolized her. Marty remembered that Walter got a black eye in a bar fight one night because someone either insulted or made a pass at Maude. Walter was in his seventies at the time.
Walter moved into 1170 Hampshire with Maude, Eddie, and the Costas and began to work as a milk truck driver for Golden State Dairy. He became a member of the Milk Wagon Drivers’ Union Local 226. Shortly thereafter, Vera and Joe moved to Napa and the Daleys took over the house.
Walter would have five grandchildren by his son Walter, Jr., but he did not treat his step-grandchildren any differently from his natural grandchildren. Maude’s granddaughter Joann remembered Walter, whom they called Papa, as very loving and caring towards her and her siblings. He would always talk to them and find out what was going on. She remembered that he would take them to Playland-at-the-Beach and he would “play the ponies” while they rode the rides. He also loved baseball and might have played when he was younger. He often worked at Seal Stadium taking ticket at the Gate. She also remembered that, like Uncle Charlie Russell, Walter had a pretty serious drinking problem. At one point, he had to have two-thirds of his stomach removed because of ulcers, but he would not stop drinking.
After Delia died in 1942, Maude and her siblings briefly owned the Hampshire house—the Andrews Real Property Directory for 1943 listed Walter as the owner—but they must have sold it that year to split the inheritance. The Daleys moved to 530 Crescent Avenue on College Hill. This was in St. John’s Parish and was near Irene and Charles Russell, who were living on College Terrace. They rented the home from Albert Martinez for the next three years. After her son married and moved out, she and Walter moved to Duncan Street and then to 1415 Dolores Street at 27th Street. Along the way, Walter switched from Golden State Dairy to Foremost Dairy and Maude went to work as a telephone operator at McAllister Buick. There she would work with her cousin Lillian until 1965. Her grandson Marty remembers visiting her at work and being fascinated by the wall of cables and plugs that made up the PBX board which she operated. McAllister used to give their best employee a car as a bonus. Maude won more than once but, since she did not drive, she took a trip to Hawaii with one of her sisters instead.
In 1955, Maude’s brother Martin passed away, as did Irene’s husband Charles Russell. Walter and Maude moved into 8 College Terrace with Irene to help her through. They would live there for the next three years. After that, they moved to 1411 Dolores Street, next door to where they had lived before. This set of flats was owned by Joe Carcione, the Greengrocer (a consumer advocate and local television personality). He knew Maude from when MacAlister Motors and rented to her at a reduced rate. The Daleys always rented and had moved around somewhat often, but they stayed at the Dolores Street address for the next 20 years. In the 1970s, her brother Frank moved in next door at 1415 Dolores Street, where Maude had lived earlier.
Religion was very important to Maude. Marty remembered that Maude prayed all the time and that she had wanted him to get confirmed after his father died. (An insensitive remark by the priest during confession put an end to that.) Christmas was always important to Maude. Edward always brought the family back to the City for Christmas. They would go to Midnight Mass at St. Paul’s with Maude and Walter, open presents, and then go to their Aunt Shirley’s house. Maude’s place was too small for a big family dinner and Shirley had more space.
In late August 1936, a wedding shower was thrown for Maude by her sisters. Among the attendees were her sisters-in-law Mary and Rose, her cousins Lillie and Peg Conlan, her niece Bette, and her aunt Kate Leonard. No Coogans or Silks seem to have been in attendance, but several Costas were as well as the sister of Walter’s first wife. Walter and Maude were married on September 5, 1936. Walter and Maude were a happy couple and enjoyed life together. He loved and idolized her. Marty remembered that Walter got a black eye in a bar fight one night because someone either insulted or made a pass at Maude. Walter was in his seventies at the time.
Walter moved into 1170 Hampshire with Maude, Eddie, and the Costas and began to work as a milk truck driver for Golden State Dairy. He became a member of the Milk Wagon Drivers’ Union Local 226. Shortly thereafter, Vera and Joe moved to Napa and the Daleys took over the house.
Walter would have five grandchildren by his son Walter, Jr., but he did not treat his step-grandchildren any differently from his natural grandchildren. Maude’s granddaughter Joann remembered Walter, whom they called Papa, as very loving and caring towards her and her siblings. He would always talk to them and find out what was going on. She remembered that he would take them to Playland-at-the-Beach and he would “play the ponies” while they rode the rides. He also loved baseball and might have played when he was younger. He often worked at Seal Stadium taking ticket at the Gate. She also remembered that, like Uncle Charlie Russell, Walter had a pretty serious drinking problem. At one point, he had to have two-thirds of his stomach removed because of ulcers, but he would not stop drinking.
After Delia died in 1942, Maude and her siblings briefly owned the Hampshire house—the Andrews Real Property Directory for 1943 listed Walter as the owner—but they must have sold it that year to split the inheritance. The Daleys moved to 530 Crescent Avenue on College Hill. This was in St. John’s Parish and was near Irene and Charles Russell, who were living on College Terrace. They rented the home from Albert Martinez for the next three years. After her son married and moved out, she and Walter moved to Duncan Street and then to 1415 Dolores Street at 27th Street. Along the way, Walter switched from Golden State Dairy to Foremost Dairy and Maude went to work as a telephone operator at McAllister Buick. There she would work with her cousin Lillian until 1965. Her grandson Marty remembers visiting her at work and being fascinated by the wall of cables and plugs that made up the PBX board which she operated. McAllister used to give their best employee a car as a bonus. Maude won more than once but, since she did not drive, she took a trip to Hawaii with one of her sisters instead.
In 1955, Maude’s brother Martin passed away, as did Irene’s husband Charles Russell. Walter and Maude moved into 8 College Terrace with Irene to help her through. They would live there for the next three years. After that, they moved to 1411 Dolores Street, next door to where they had lived before. This set of flats was owned by Joe Carcione, the Greengrocer (a consumer advocate and local television personality). He knew Maude from when MacAlister Motors and rented to her at a reduced rate. The Daleys always rented and had moved around somewhat often, but they stayed at the Dolores Street address for the next 20 years. In the 1970s, her brother Frank moved in next door at 1415 Dolores Street, where Maude had lived earlier.
Religion was very important to Maude. Marty remembered that Maude prayed all the time and that she had wanted him to get confirmed after his father died. (An insensitive remark by the priest during confession put an end to that.) Christmas was always important to Maude. Edward always brought the family back to the City for Christmas. They would go to Midnight Mass at St. Paul’s with Maude and Walter, open presents, and then go to their Aunt Shirley’s house. Maude’s place was too small for a big family dinner and Shirley had more space.
Maude had always been interested in what the grandchildren were doing. She would spend time in the family room with them whenever she visited Santa Rosa and ask what they were up to in school, how things were with their friends, and anything else they wanted to share. Marty appreciated her interest in his quarter-midget racing. She taught them all the Charleston. Both JoAnn and Judy both said that Maude was the kind of grandmother to whom her granddaughters could go with anything. She always supported them no matter what, and they knew they could count on her. That began early when Judy or Joann would take the Greyhound down to the City to visit and she would always be waiting for them when they stepped off the bus.
In 1963, JoAnn moved in with the Daleys to go to college. She remembered lots of laughter and lots of music. Maude loved to dance and would Irish dance even into her 90s. She loved music and had a large record collection, some albums going back to the early 1900s. She also loved to sing and Judy remembered her favorites were Danny Boy and When Johnny Comes Marching Home. She also loved the theatre and took JoAnn to the Curran and the Golden Gate downtown to see all the big shows—Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly, Yul Bryner in The King and I, Richard Burton in Camelot, and others. Maude also loved beautiful things and was a collector of Waterford Crystal, like her cousin Catherine’s daughter Dolores Quattrin.
In 1963, JoAnn moved in with the Daleys to go to college. She remembered lots of laughter and lots of music. Maude loved to dance and would Irish dance even into her 90s. She loved music and had a large record collection, some albums going back to the early 1900s. She also loved to sing and Judy remembered her favorites were Danny Boy and When Johnny Comes Marching Home. She also loved the theatre and took JoAnn to the Curran and the Golden Gate downtown to see all the big shows—Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly, Yul Bryner in The King and I, Richard Burton in Camelot, and others. Maude also loved beautiful things and was a collector of Waterford Crystal, like her cousin Catherine’s daughter Dolores Quattrin.
In June of 1965, Walter was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He would live for five more years, spending much of the time in the Mission Terrace Convalescent Hospital on 30th and Dolores Streets, just three blocks from where he and Maude lived. She would walk up and visit him every day. On April 13, 1970, Walter passed. He was 74 years old. Rather than being buried with his first wife in her family plot, Walter was buried in a new grave Section L2 at Holy Cross Cemetery near the Jim and Walter Conlan. The grave included a spot for Maude to join him later and her name is even on the headstone, but, by the time she passed, no one remembered the space for her to be with Walter and he remains alone.
After Walter died, Maude continued to live on Dolores Street. In 1976, Irene became ill with colon cancer. Maude stepped in to take care of her. She was at Irene’s house on College Terrace almost every day. Irene died the next year, and Maude was devastated. Judy remembered her crying all the time and not really being able to function. The family got together to settle the estate and sell the house. Irene had wanted the house to go to Maude, but no one could find a will. Besides, Maude did not want to live there away—too many stairs.
Through the 1970s, San Francisco was getting to be a rougher town. When kids in the neighborhood threw rocks at her glass door upstairs, she got scared and decided to move and lost connection with her brothers’ families. Irene and Walter were both gone. Martin had died many years before and Frank would pass away the next year. Vera and Joe Costa convinced her to move closer to them. She moved into an apartment in Mark West, a small, unincorporated community a short drive north of Santa Rosa. Her daughter-in-law and grandchildren lived nearby and would visit to take her out walking and on small trips. Maude was also an avid reader, both of the newspapers and of romance novels. Her granddaughter Judy referred to her as a “news junkie.” Maude probably shared novels with her cousin Lillie Conlan who also was an avid romance reader.
After her brother-in-law Joe Costa died in 1987, Maude was supposed to move in with her sister Vera. Both of them being in her late 80s at this point, though, it was difficult for them to help with each others health difficulties. Maude began to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s and, in 1991, she moved to Laytonville to live with her daughter-in-law, Dolores. Vera came to visit her that year and died during the visit, leaving Maude as the last survivor of her siblings.
When Dolores could not provide enough special care, Maude moved into Northbrook Manor, a full support retirement community in Willits. They took very good care of Maude over the next three years. On October 11, 1994, Maude passed away. She was 96-and-a-half years old. Her remains were cremated at the Eversole Mortuary and buried with her son at Calvary Cemetery in Santa Rosa. Dolores would join them there in 2001.
Through the 1970s, San Francisco was getting to be a rougher town. When kids in the neighborhood threw rocks at her glass door upstairs, she got scared and decided to move and lost connection with her brothers’ families. Irene and Walter were both gone. Martin had died many years before and Frank would pass away the next year. Vera and Joe Costa convinced her to move closer to them. She moved into an apartment in Mark West, a small, unincorporated community a short drive north of Santa Rosa. Her daughter-in-law and grandchildren lived nearby and would visit to take her out walking and on small trips. Maude was also an avid reader, both of the newspapers and of romance novels. Her granddaughter Judy referred to her as a “news junkie.” Maude probably shared novels with her cousin Lillie Conlan who also was an avid romance reader.
After her brother-in-law Joe Costa died in 1987, Maude was supposed to move in with her sister Vera. Both of them being in her late 80s at this point, though, it was difficult for them to help with each others health difficulties. Maude began to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s and, in 1991, she moved to Laytonville to live with her daughter-in-law, Dolores. Vera came to visit her that year and died during the visit, leaving Maude as the last survivor of her siblings.
When Dolores could not provide enough special care, Maude moved into Northbrook Manor, a full support retirement community in Willits. They took very good care of Maude over the next three years. On October 11, 1994, Maude passed away. She was 96-and-a-half years old. Her remains were cremated at the Eversole Mortuary and buried with her son at Calvary Cemetery in Santa Rosa. Dolores would join them there in 2001.
At 96 years and six months, Maude was the second longest-lived of the Silks, just four months shorter than Isabel Coogan Flynn. She outlived all her siblings, both her husbands, her only son, and her only great-grandson. Some might say that her strength to get through those losses was her faith, and they would not be completely wrong. But her true strength was her love of life. She laughed and sang and danced through it all and that uplifted and supported her—and anyone around her—through everything. She lived life to the fullest, always had a smile on her face and a song in her heart.