DANNY HOWARD MCNAIR
1950-2021
Danny passed away on his birthday on 9/11/2021 from complications related to COVID-19. He put his faith in a holistic practitioner in Houston that he had followed for years who advised Danny against taking the vaccine.
He was preceded in death by his beloved parents Hudson and Dottie McNair.
Danny is survived by his wife of 44 years, Kay, brother David, sister Melissa, her husband Angelo, brotherin-law Jeff and his wife
Linda, plus numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Danny was born in Paris, Texas. His family moved around the state as his father accepted callings at numerous Presbyterian churches. The family eventually settled in Houston. Danny and Kay met when she was just 15 and he was 20. They dated for 7 years before getting married in Hudson and Dottie’s beautiful garden in Norman, Oklahoma. Hudson officiated the wedding. During that period they had the adventure of their lives when they backpacked for a year in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Danny even landscaped a kibbutz in Israel! They never lost their lust for travel and adventure.
Danny and Kay followed their lifelong dream and moved to their beloved Taos, New Mexico, six months ago. They were in the process of completing their dream home when Danny became ill. He passed away just a week before the completion of their home. It’s comforting to know that he got to see it in the final stages and that he and Kay built it together. He had drawn up a landscape design that will be installed by a local landscaper. It will lack Danny’s magic touch. Kay made a promise to
Danny that she would move into their dream house and fill it with friends and family, and joy and laughter.
Danny started coming to Taos when he was a young boy as part of the month-long vacation that his parents took every summer. His father taught him his love of trout fishing and his mother cooked their catch to perfection. Kay started coming to Taos with Danny when she was 16 and quickly grew to love the area as well. Danny was fond of telling people that “Kay out-fished me every time.” Danny was a history major and would stop to read every historical marker that he came upon. He was an excellent tour guide when friends visited. One of his favorite pastimes since retiring was exploring Google Earth. He took Kay on many bumpy offload adventures in their Texas-size truck after discovering unexplored terrain.
Danny was an amazing landscape designer. He started in the nursery business while still in high school and followed that passion for the rest of his life. He and Robert Glauser formed a very successful business, Glauser-McNair Inc. They had a stellar reputation and were much sought after.
One of his Houston gardens was the first garden to ever be featured on the cover of Veranda Magazine. These are some of the comments from a few of his numerous clients in his 40 plus years of design after learning of his death. “Absolutely brilliant-no one like him.” “Can’t bear the thought of a world without Danny.” “A true enrichment to our lives.” “Gentle loving spirit.” “Danny taught me to love plants.” “I don’t know if he ever knew the impression that he had on me.” “You were my friend, mentor and father figure.” He left the world a more beautiful place.
Stevie Wonder said it so beautifully in his lyrics. “As around the
sun the earth knows she’s revolving. And the rosebuds know to bloom in early May. Just as hate knows love’s the cure you can rest your mind assured that I’ll be loving you always.”
Danny will be cremated. At a later date there will be a celebration of his life and scattering of his ashes in some of his favorite places. There will be trees planted in his memory at the dream home.
In lieu of flowers, Kay request that if you desire to make a charitable contribution in his name, to consider Hermann Park Conservancy or the charity of your choice.
Kay would like to thank the ICU staff at Holy Cross Hospital for the exceptional care that they provided to Danny. They helped make a difficult journey much easier.