Mary Lee McKenzie

Mary was the daughter of the late John Toby Suggs and Bessie Lee House, was born on March 8, 1929 in Green County, North Carolina, and departed this life on December 24, 2025 (Xmas Eve) at the age of 96, in the home of her eldest son and daughter-in-law, in Killeen, Texas.

She grew up in Farmville, North Carolina and attended H.B. Suggs High School until her graduation.

On June 2, 1947, she married her childhood sweetheart, James Willis McKenzie, and from this union they bore two sons. They later relocated to Washington, D.C., and secured employment with the Shoreham Hotel. In her spare time, she styled hair, and dabbled in a little culinary work. Some years later Mary secured employment in the Pentagon as a Clerk Typist. A few years later, she landed a job with the federal government in the Department of Health and Human Services as a secretary, she was later promoted to Program Assistant, then Grants Management Technician, until she retired in November 1990.

At an early age she accepted Christ as her personal savior, she joined Faith Temple No. 2 Baptist Church in Capital Heights, Maryland where she was a faithful member and diligent worker.

She was preceded in death by her husband James Willis (Jimmy Doll), one brother, John Suggs Jr., and one sister, Fannie Mae Murray.

She leaves to cherish her memories, 2 sons, James Albert Mckenzie (Sylvia) of Killeen TX; Ronald Melvin Mckenzie of California; one step daughter Regina Okumko of Washington DC; 3 sisters-in-law, Carol Mckenzie-Artis of Baltimore, MD; Joan Mainor of Hyattsville, MD; Doris Kay White (The Rev Roland White) of Hyattsville, MD; 2 brothers in law, Kenneth Ray McKinzie (Monet) of Fayetteville, NC; Alton D. McKinzie of Washington DC; 13 grandchildren and 9 Great-grandchildren; 2 loving and devoted friends of the family, James F. Robinson, Joyce Robinson; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

A visitation will be held on January 10, 2026, at 1:00 pm at Fort Lincoln Funeral Home, located at 3401 Bladensburg Rd, Brentwood, MD, 20722.

The funeral service will follow at the same location at 2:00 pm. For those unable to attend the service in person, you may use the following link to join virtually: https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c26013981951930