Leona Marie MacKenzie

Leona MacKenzie died on November 6h, 2026, in Halifax. She was pre-deceased by sisters, Jane Marie O'Neill and Marian Rothe. She is survived by sisters, Peggi MacKenzie-Young, Judy Ballah, Carlotta Macinnis and multiple nieces and nephews.

The following was written by Leona's niece, Catherine Macinnis:

Saying goodbye to our beautiful Leona. She was a trailblazer, a mathematician and an accomplished teacher and department head who generously tutored generations of nieces, nephews and complete strangers. We were not usually as gifted as she, so where appropriate, she gently encouraged us to nurture our other talents - always with a giggle and a wink. Leona was the most peaceful kind of person, protecting people in her orbit often, quietly and without expectation of reward. Her home was a refuge for many (some of whom she also tutored). When pressed by my mother in her final days about whether she had ever done anything unkind, Leona admitted there was one girl, one time - and, honestly, it sounds like the girl deserved it.

But it would not be right to make Leona sound like a saint (she would not approve). In a family that disapproved of gossip and salacious literature, she brought home The National Enquirer and endless numbers of Harlequin Romance novels. Oh my. She was also known to be competitive with her sisters on occasion and to declare Dominos pizza a nutritious choice for dinner.

Children have an instinct for recognizing good people, and they have always appreciated Leona. When the ambulance arrived to take her to the hospital for the final time, a group of kids out for recess at Sir Charles Tupper School gathered at the fence to watch the drama of the occasion and, intuitively recognizing the solemnity of what they were seeing, spontaneously sang "Oh Canada" to her. How fitting to have children honouring a lady who spent a lifetime honouring them.