Donald Richard Sr. McKenzie

Notes:

Donald Richard McKenzie, Sr.

Donald Richard McKenzie, Sr. was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 15 FEB 1927. He married Louise Gertrude Frank on 29 AUG 1947 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Together they had four children:

1.Donald Richard McKenzie, Jr.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Married JoAnn Elaine Cingel
Had children Christopher Scott and Todd

2.Patricia Ann McKenzie
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Married John K. Vagias in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Had children Wade Matthew, Timothy and Nathan Andrew

3.Michael Alan McKenzie
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Married Darla Kay Grinstead in Tampa, Florida
Had children Katherine Grinstead, Patrick Grinstead and Colin Grinstead

4.Steven Douglas McKenzie
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Married Cecilia Renee Garmon in Marietta, Georgia
Adopted Shannon Garmon

Donald Richard McKenzie, Sr. was an electrician for I.B.E.W. Local Union #5 for approximately 42 years (1947-1989). A letter forwarded to his son, Michael Alan McKenzie in March, 1998 contained the following:

Donald R. McKenzie, Sr.
Born: February 15, 1927. South Side Hospital

1.Born on Freeland Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Allentown.

2.We then moved to (Mom & Dad) 86 Pasedena Street, Allentown. Lived here till 3 years old.

3.Moved to 74 Carnival Way, Allentown. Lived there from 3 years old to 11 1/2 years old. Attended Allen Grade School.

4.Moved to Mt. Washington, 506 Kathleen Street, attended Prospect Junior High, 7th to 9th grade. Then attended South Hills Senior High School, 10th, 11th and 12th.

5.Went to service (Army) March 12, 1945 to December 31, 1946. Honorable Discharge.

6.Mom and I married August 29, 1947.

7.Moved to 8 Sylvania Ave. Beltzhoover and lived with Mom and Dad for a year. (Don was born there).
.
8.Moved to 3070 Texas Ave., Dormont, Pennsylvania where we first rented from Erma Lewis. (Pat was born there).

9.Moved to 608 Elmbamk Street, Brookline where Mike and Steve were born. Lived there until 1960.

10.Moved to 421 Grace Drive in 1960 (Sept.) We have lived here for 39 years come Sept., 1999.

The same letter contained the following information on Louise Frank McKenzie:


Louise G. Frank
Born July 14, 1927

1.Born in Bloomfield.

2.Lived in orphanage named Jewish Home for Babies and Children from 3 years to 7 years old. Brackenridge Street, Hill District (15219).

3.Lived on Dinwiddie Street, Diaz Way, Tustin Street (considered Uptown).

4.Moved to Juliet Street at age 11.

5.Moved to Brookline at age 12. Lived at 2449 Woodward Ave. Lived with Pop and Ethel (Ed. Note: Joseph Frank and his second wife, Ethel).

6.Left at 16 years old to live with her sister, Kay (Ed. Note: Katherine Frank Bovitch) on North St. Clair St.

7.Went to Brookline Grade School.

8.Then to South Hills High School.

9.Mom and I started to go together in 1944. I went to the service in 1945, and we were married August 29, 1947, and the rest is history. Ha-Ha.

The Marriage Certificate (copy in the McKenzie Family History) reflects that the Minister who performed the Marriage Ceremony was O.H. Boeming. The name of the church where the ceremony was held was the Bethleham Grace Lutheran Church.

Donald R. McKenzie, Sr. served in the U.S. Army. He enlisted in 1945 upon graduation from high school in January, 1945. His basic training stint was served at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Immediately upon completing basic training, he was shipped to the Far East to participate in the impending invasion of Japan. He recounted to Michael A. McKenzie in 2002 that he was on a troop ship heading to Japan to invade the country when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. He made stops at Ulithea and Manila, Philippines before reaching his duty post in Okinawa, Japan. Although V-J Day occurred in August, 1945, he was not shipped back to the United States at that time. An 85 point system was in put in place by the U.S. War Department to transition servicemen back to this country. Those with the higher number of points returned to this country first. Since he had just joined the Army in 1945, he had to wait for two years before he was able to return. He was stationed in Korea during that time frame and assisted that country in repairing damage caused by the Japanese. In 2002, Colonel Paul Tibbetts, the pilot of the Enola Gay (the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan) was the keynote speaker at the Roswell, Georgia Memorial Day ceremony. Donald and Louise McKenzie were present along with their son, Michael, and his wife, Darla, and son, Colin. After Col. Tibbetts spoke about his experiences during WW II, members from the audience were asked if they wanted to make any comments. Michael McKenzie stood up and delivered an impromptu speech where he thanked Colonel Tibbetts for having dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. As he stated, “if you had not done so, I might not be here today addressing this crowd, since my father (who was on one of the troop ships heading to Japan for the invasion) might not have survived.”

Donald R. McKenzie, Sr. was a lifelong resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He joined Local Union #5 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in 1948. He lived long enough to receive his 60 year pin in 2008.

Donald R. McKenzie, Sr. died on January 1, 2010 in Marietta, Georgia of both pancreatic and colon cancer while visiting his three sons for the Christmas holiday. His body was cremated. His ashes were spread around four Norway spruce trees located on the property of Michael A. McKenzie along with the ashes of his wife, Louise. Louise G. McKenzie died on December 14, 2007 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after a three year bout with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Those Norway spruce trees are/were located on the top of a hillside adjacent to the parking area of Michael and Darla McKenzie’s cabin property at 2008 Briar Cove Road, Morganton, Georgia. Small stones were placed there during Memorial Day weekend, 2010 to commemorate Donald R. McKenzie, Sr. and Louise G. McKenzie’s final resting places.

Donald R. McKenzie, Sr’s. obituary appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on January 6, 2010 and read as follows: “Age 82, of Baldwin Boro, loving husband of the late Louise Gertrude Frank McKenzie; proud father of Donald R., Jr. (Joann) McKenzie, Patricia A. (Jake) Vagias, Michael A. (Darla) McKenzie, Steven D. (Renee) McKenzie; devoted son of the late L.F. “Jack” McKenzie and the late ClaraBelle Edenhart McKenzie; caring grandfather of nine and great-grandfather of 7; also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and his loyal and beloved dog, Sassy. A life-long resident of Pittsburgh, Don graduated from South Hills High School, Class of 1944 (sic). He entered military service in March, 1945 serving in the Pacific Theatre and Korea (during WWII). He was honorably discharged in in December 1946. Don and Louise were married in August of 1947 and he began a long and successful career as an electrician with I.B.E.W. Local #5. From apprentice through journeyman, foreman, general foreman and superintendent, Don worked tirelessly for 42 years to support his family and make the City of Pittsburgh a brighter and safer place. A skilled craftsman, meticulous technician, and respected leader and manager, his personal motto was “if you’re going to do something, do it right the first time.” He did exactly that for his entire career. He was a proud member of Local Union #5 for 62 years. An avid word worker and gardener who took great pride in his home, Don and his wife Louise enjoyed many good years of health and happiness traveling the country and the world and visiting with friends and family. A Memorial Service will be held at the Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., 301 Curry Hollow Road, Pleasant Hills on Saturday January 9th at 2 PM. It will be followed by a reception at the family home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Western PA., 1101 Western Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa 15233.”

Donald Mckenzie
United States Census, 1940
Name:Donald Mckenzie
Event Type:Census
Event Date:1940
Event Place:Ward 18, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh City, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States
Gender:Male
Age:13
Marital Status:Single
Race (Original):White
Race:White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original):Son
Relationship to Head of Household:Son
Birthplace:Pennsylvania
Birth Year (Estimated):1927
Last Place of Residence:Same Place
HouseholdRoleGenderAgeBirthplace
Lester F MckenzieHeadM35West Virginia
Clarabelle MckenzieWifeF35West Virginia
Donald MckenzieSonM13Pennsylvania
District: 69-512 , Family Number: 59 , Sheet Number and Letter: 3B , Line Number: 56 , Affiliate Publication Number: T627 , Affiliate Film Number: 3667 , Digital Folder Number: 005456807 , Image Number: 00145

Donald Mckenzie
United States Census, 1930
Name:Donald Mckenzie
Event Type:Census
Event Year:1930
Event Place:Pittsburgh (Districts 251-488), Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States
Gender:Male
Age:3
Marital Status:Single
Race:White
Race (Original):White
Relationship to Head of Household:Son
Relationship to Head of Household (Original):Son
Birth Year (Estimated):1927
Birthplace:Pennsylvania
Father's Birthplace:West Virginia
Mother's Birthplace:West Virginia
HouseholdRoleGenderAgeBirthplace
Lester MckenzieHeadM25West Virginia
Clarabelle MckenzieWifeF25West Virginia
Donald MckenzieSonM3Pennsylvania
Dorothy EdenhartSister-in-lawF22West Virginia
District: 0294 , Sheet Number and Letter: 27B , Household ID: 424 , Line Number: 73 , Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) , Affiliate Publication Number: T626 , Affiliate Film Number: 1980 , GS Film number: 2341714 , Digital Folder Number: 004661276 , Image Number: 00924

Donald married Louise Gertrude Frank on 29 Aug 1947 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Louise (daughter of Joseph (Pop) Frank and Marian Ulmer) was born on 14 Jul 1927 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; died on 14 Dec 2007 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Donald married JoAnn Elaine Cingel in Private. JoAnn (daughter of Joseph John Cingel and Veronica Genevieve Kochik) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Patricia married John Konstantine (Jake) Vagias in Private. John (son of Annastasios Ernest Vagias and Elizabeth Manos) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Michael married Darla Kay Grinstead in Private. Darla (daughter of Robert Lawrance Grinstead and Barbara Ann Curry) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Steven married Cecilia Renee Garmon in Private. Cecilia (daughter of Cecil Boyce Garmon and Katherine Madelyn Hayes) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Christopher married Tammy Lynn Dodson in Private. Tammy (daughter of Willard Sr. Dodson and Lucy Pearl) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Wade married Jenna Shearstone in Private. Jenna (daughter of John Richard Shearstone and Cynthia Smith) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Timothy married Erin Nicole Walker in Private. Erin (daughter of Timothy Scott Walker and Kelly Anne Cjathmal) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Nathan married Leigh Erin Dunn in Private. Leigh (daughter of Ronald Charles Dunn and Deborah Lynn Vickerman) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Katherine married Christopher Scott Johnson in Private. Christopher (son of Leslie Scott Johnson and Alice Vivian Stockton) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Patrick married Josie Franklin in Private. Josie (daughter of David Franklin and Catherine Sims) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Shannon married Daniel Milton Goodner in Private. Daniel (son of Roger Milton Goodner and Mary Elizabeth Cooper) was born in Private. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]