John Walter MacKenzie (Mawk) was born on July 12, 1932 in Kimberley, BC to Catherine and Walter and was the youngest of 8 children. At 83, he passed away peacefully on July 19, 2015 at the East Kootenay Regional Hospital.
John is survived by his wife Marilyn, son Paul, many nieces and nephews and by his 2 special sisters in law, Connie MacKenzie and Patricia Hargrave and their families. His father Walter, mother Catherine, brothers Duncan, Ian, Gordon and Sisters Anna, Doris, Verna and Ruth predecease him.
John and Marilyn (Kozak) were married in 1962 and welcomed the birth of their only son Paul, 5 years later. John was a very active sportsman, which led him into his love of sports. John participated in many sports including soccer, boxing, bowling, curling, baseball and he excelled in all that he partook.
As a 20 year old in 1952 he participated as a boxer in the Golden Gloves. Later in life, he was a member on a men’s curling team and succeeded in winning the East Kootenay zone championships 12 times.
John loved baseball, more so the Brooklyn and then the Los Angeles Dodgers. John spent many happy summers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and as recently as 2 summers ago with his son Paul. In his younger days he was the manager and coach of the BPOE Angels Baseball team and only wore the Angels cap during games, afterwards, quickly switching back to his beloved Dodgers cap.
Being a good Scotchman, John played the drums with the Kimberley Pipe Band for many years. He was also an avid fan of the Kimberley Dynamiters and served on the executive when the Dynamiters won the Allen Cup in 1978.
Prior to his retirement in 1993 John worked at the City of Kimberley as the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation. During his Tenure, he was known for his ice making skills in the Civic Center and the well-maintained condition of the local parks, ball fields and cemetery.
John volunteered in many local organizations, some of these from their conception, including the Bavarian Society, the Festivals, both JulyFest and WinterFest, and the creation and administration of the Bocce pits. John was one of the founders of the Kimberley Sullivan Mine Underground Railroad and spent many seasons volunteering wherever he was needed. A 60 plus year member of the Kimberley Elks Club, John enjoyed serving on the executive and executing administrational duties until 2013.
John loved his family and friends. He loved to attend Dodger baseball in Los Angeles, relax in Hawaii and to work in his yard in Kimberley. Words cannot express the impact he has had on our lives and he will be dearly missed.
A Graveside Memorial Service will be held at the Kimberley Cemetery for family and friends on Saturday July 25, 2015 at 1:00 pm, followed by a celebration of John’s life at 2:00 pm at the Kimberley Elks Club.
In lieu for flowers please make donations to the Sullivan Mine and Railway Society (SM&R) Box 94, Kimberley, BC V1A 2Y5.