On November 4, 2020, Alexander Anderson Mackimmie III, known to his family and friends as Mac, passed away at the age of 89. After a few years of failing health, but with unflagging humor and determination, Mac died peacefully with his wife, Jean, by his side.
Born on June 16, 1931, in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Mac, or as his mother lovingly called him, Sandy, grew up as an only child in Essex, CT. A natural athlete, he lettered in soccer in both high school and college. He received a B.A. in History from Trinity College, and later graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in Hotel Management. Mac also served as a Captain in the US Air Force Reserve for a few years in West Palm Beach, Florida. An avid skier, he worked in Stowe, Vermont as a young man so he could ski in his off hours. Mac moved to Colorado where he fell in love with the mountains and also his wife, Jean. They later moved from Fort Collins to Pullman Washington, where Mac began a 30+ year career in student housing, eventually becoming the Housing Director at Washington State University.
Their two sons, Andy and Bruce, were born in Pullman and were coached in soccer by their dad for several years. Mac walked to work every day, a three-mile loop, and maintained a lifelong dedication to keeping fit. Mac and Jean held season tickets for WSU football games and attended every home game for 35 years. He was a proud supporter of Cougar Athletics.
Upon retirement in 1995, Mac and Jean moved to their Bremerton home overlooking Rich Passage and Mount Rainier. He stayed active and involved in the lives of his sons and their families. Both Mac and Jean were longtime members of St. Antony's Episcopal Church community in Silverdale. In their spare time they joined the US Power and Sail Squadron and took every course offered. They perfected the nautical skills necessary to pilot their 32-foot Island Gypsy yacht to Alaska and enjoyed many adventures cruising the waters of Washington and British Columbia with friends. In 2003-04, Mac became the Commander of the Bremerton Power Squadron. Ever the outdoorsman, Mac also enjoyed sea kayaking for several years and was active in supporting the Washington Water Trails Association where he helped to connect water trails and build campsites which were accessible for kayakers. On September 17, 2020, Mac and Jean celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary together.
Mac had direct Scottish heritage from both sides of his family, and it was a fact he was very proud of. He never missed an opportunity to prominently fly the Scottish coat of arms flag when family came to visit. Mac will be fondly remembered as a loving husband & father, in addition to his love of the outdoors, cougar football, and his quiet, dry sense of humor. He is preceded in death by his parents; Alexander A. Mackimmie Jr. and Marguerite S. Mackimmie. He is survived by his wife Jean, and two sons and their families; Andy, Tami, Alexander & Zachary, of Coeur d'Alene Idaho; Bruce, Jill, Finnegan and Griffin of Flower Mound Texas.
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