Robert William McKenzie

Robert William “Bob” McKenzie, Sr. passed peacefully at his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at the age of 80, succumbing to Alzheimer’s. He was born on June 4, 1931, in Homer, Louisiana to Harry McKenzie, Sr. and Sallie Mae Dawson McKenzie. Harry McKenzie was the Mayor of Homer and then the long-time Clerk of Court of Claiborne Parish, Louisiana. Bob was elected first trumpet in the All-State Band when he was a senior at Homer High School in December 1947 and played trumpet in the LSU band during his freshman and sophomore years. Also during his years at LSU, McKenzie was initiated into the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity in March 1949, he was elected president of the sophomore class of the College of Engineering and elected assistant Secretary of the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, as documented in the Outstanding Lambda Chi’s Louisiana Lambda Chi’s, June 1950. In August 1950, he met Nell Cowart of Monroe, Louisiana and Lumberton, Mississippi, at one of the Lambda Chi pledge parties and they were inseparable for the next 61 years, getting married November 25, 1953 at the LSU Baptist Student Center. McKenzie received his BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge in 1952 and 1954, respectively. McKenzie attended Officers’ Candidate School, U.S. Navy, Newport, Rhode Island in 1954 and was commissioned officer in the Civil Engineering Corps, U.S. Naval Reserve. He served at the U.S. Naval Civil Engineering Research and Evaluation Laboratory (NAVCERELAB) in 1955-56 in Port Hueneme, California, and then was stationed at the U.S. Naval Station, Adak, Alaska, where he worked in the Public Works Department during 1956-1957. In 1958, he returned to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he worked as a structural engineer for Alfred G. Rayner, Consulting Engineer. He became a partner in the firm which changed to Rayner & McKenzie, Consulting Engineers, Inc., in 1968. He was a guest lecturer on construction technology at LSU as well as visiting professor in Civil Engineering there in 1976. McKenzie was elected President of the Consulting Engineers Council of Louisiana, Inc. in 1981, and a Fellow in both the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Consulting Engineers Council of Louisiana in 1989 and 1991, respectively. In 1989, he was presented with the A.E. Wilder Award for outstanding service to the Consulting Engineers Council of Louisiana, Inc. After a distinguished engineering career, he retired in 1997 and traveled to Hawaii, Scotland, Europe and cruised the Greek islands with Nell. He was also a very active member of the University United Methodist Church and at various times was the Chairman of the Administration Board, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Chairman of the Building Committee, Chairman of the Stewardship Committee and sang in the Chancel Choir. He was also a member of the Caldonean Society and the St. Andrews Society. Bob was an avid photographer and recorded many family, engineering and church events and, of course, close-ups of beautiful flowers. Bob McKenzie was an honorable, righteous and dedicated man who was a role model to many. Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Nell Cowart McKenzie of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, three children, Mary Elizabeth “Beth” McKenzie Hebert and her husband John Wayne Hebert of Humble, Texas, Robert William “Bobby” McKenzie, Jr. and his wife Susan Ann Hughes McKenzie of Maurepas, Louisiana, and Barbara Ann McKenzie Elkins and her husband Brian Lane Elkins, Sr. of Alexandria, Louisiana; nine grandchildren, Emily Rose Vincent of Humble, Texas, Heather Ann McKenzie Whitaker, her husband Michael Wayne Whitaker, Michelle Marie McKenzie DeBenedetto and her husband Rocco Daniel DeBenedetto of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Rachel Leigh Hebert of Humble, Texas, Kristen Elizabeth McKenzie of Maurepas, Louisiana and Brian Lane “BJ” Elkins, Jr., Mckenzie Kathryn Elkins, Marshall Robert Elkins and Faith Baoben Elkins of Alexandria, Louisiana; three great-grandchildren, Bobby Michael Whitaker, Jesse Clay Whitaker and Rocco Daniel DeBenedetto, Jr. of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; two sisters, Mary Belle McKenzie Rushing of Homer, Louisiana, and Sara Elizabeth McKenzie Marshall of Lecompte, Louisiana; eight nieces and nephews; eleven great nieces and nephews, four great-great nieces and nephews. Bob was preceded in death by his parents Harry McKenzie, Sr. on December 23, 1955 and Sallie Mae Dawson McKenzie on January 15, 1967 of Homer, Louisiana; a brother Harry “Pete” McKenzie, Jr. of Homer, Louisiana, on October 6, 1989; two brothers-in-law James Gregg Marshall of Lecompte, Louisiana on January 29, 2000 and Hollie Rushing of Homer, Louisiana, on January 29, 2002; and a grandson, William Joseph “Will” Vincent of Carlyss, Louisiana, on February 11, 1984. Visitation will be held at Greenoaks Funeral Home on Friday, September 16, 2011 from 5pm until 9pm and continue at University United Methodist Church, 3350 Dalrymple Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802 on Saturday, September 17, 2011 from 1pm until time of services at 2pm. Interment will follow in Greenoaks Memorial Park. For more information, call the church at 225/344-0343 or Greenoaks at 225/925-5331. Pallbearers are Rocco DeBenedetto, Mike Whitaker, Mac Rushing, Jim Marshall, Mike Monk and Lonnie Richard. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the University United Methodist Church, 3350 Dalrymple Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. The family sends out thanks for the many prayers, gifts of food and fellowship during the past several months.