Camey McGilvray

Camey McGilvray was born on October 7, 1935, in Garfield, New Jersey. After graduating from Garfield High School in 1953, Camey attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. After graduating with honors from St. Lawrence, Camey pursued her lifelong passion for art at The New School in New York City and The University of The Americas in Mexico City.

Camey worked at the famous advertising agency Young and Rubicam in New York City in the late 1960s to 1970. Camey was one of the first women to be hired as a creative talent. Camey was the first woman to wear pants. She was always a leader and a trailblazer.

In 1973, Camey moved to Pacific Palisades with her former husband Gordon McGilvray. Camey was active in all facets of real estate, including property management, construction, investment and remodeling. Her passion for real estate continued for the rest of her life.

Camey then decided to go back to school and attended Loyola Marymount University where she received her master’s degree in counseling psychology. She became licensed as a marriage and family therapist. After obtaining her teaching credential from Cal State Los Angeles, Camey applied her counseling skills to a long and meaningful career as a special education teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Camey made a big impact on hundreds of lives.

Camey loved teaching, but her true calling was art. After retiring from teaching, she devoted her time to her artwork and spending time with her grandchildren. She spent hours in her studio creating wood and metal sculptures. Her artwork was featured in many galleries in California and New York. You can view her artwork at cameyart.com. When she wasn’t in her studio, you could find her in her garden, tending to her agapanthus or picking produce from her vegetable garden.

Camey had a zest for life and was passionate about everything she was interested in. She truly was a patriot who loved our country. She was an excellent cook, an expert in grammar (she would have rewritten this piece!), a devoted mother, aunt and grandmother, and was always there for her friends and family.

Camey is survived by her son, Ian T. McGilvray (wife Maria), daughter Emily B. McGilvray, niece Maria Gray, nephew Alex Lindsay, grandchildren Joselyn, Annabella, Giuliana, Sophia and great-grandson Elijah, her brother Louis Baldanza (wife Linda) and their children, and her loyal dog, Ginger.