| Mary Ellen Kay | |
| Birth Name: | Mary Ellen Keaggy |
| Birth Date: | August 29, 1929 |
| Birth Place: | Boardman, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | 1950 - 1966 (film) |
| Children: | 1 |
| Relatives: | Phil Keaggy (brother) |
Mary Ellen Ruffalo (Keaggy, August 29, 1929 - 2017), better known as Mary Ellen Kay, was an American television and film actress.[1]
Kay was born in Boardman, Ohio, on August 29, 1929.[2] She was one of ten siblings and the sister of virtuoso guitarist Phil Keaggy. Her brother credits her with introducing him to the Christian faith.[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.[4] Kay co-starred with Rex Allen in 19 western films.[2]
In 1963, she married her second husband, Tim Ruffalo. They had one son, Bill, and remained together until his passing from a stroke in 1993.[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.[6]