McKenzie Allison Bates, 24, was born in Dallas, Texas on April 11, 1996, to Abbey and Lawrence (Bater) Bates. McKenzie went to her heavenly home on October 14, 2020. A beautiful young woman, inside and out, was loved and adored by everyone that met her. She was kind, loving and never met a stranger. From the day that she was born, she had a dynamic personality with a contagious laugh that lit any room she entered. McKenzie grew up in Dallas where she graduated from Highland Park High School in 2014. She was an enthusiastic member of the Highland Park cheer team for four years where she established lifelong friends and memories. She was awarded the Highland Park Presidential Service Award holding officer positions in 65 Roses for Cystic Fibrosis, Hi-Lites Organization, benefitting Make-A-Wish Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and National Charity League and many other charities.
McKenzie received her Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communications from Texas Christian University in 2018. McKenzie was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority where she was involved in fundraising committees benefitting Cook Children's Hospital and St. Jude's Research Hospital. A recent highlight for McKenzie was her involvement in a mission trip to Kenya with Highland Park Presbyterian Church. The Imbirikani Christian Girl's School brought her much joy as it provides funding for academic education for young women in the Imbirikani area of Kenya.
McKenzie is preceded in death by her grandparents, James Murphy and Shirley White, Lawrence Morris and Reba Bates and cousins Scott Thomas Coleman, and Taylor Murphy Stephenson. McKenzie will be greatly missed by her parents, and is loved and survived by her brother James Mason Bates, her Aunt Krista and Uncle Steve Stephenson, Aunt Debbie Bates Coleman, cousins Trent and wife Nicole Stephenson, and Barry and Ruby Coleman and numerous great aunts, uncles and second cousins she loved dearly.
Services will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 18th, at Highland Park Presbyterian Church. The service will be streamed at the following site https://vimeopro.com/dhdfilms/mckenzie-bates-memorial-service-live-stream (password: Family). A celebration of life for family and friends will follow at Royal Oaks Country Club. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation to the Imbirikani Neema Huruma Foundation at www.neema-hurumafoundation.org or to Highland Park Presbyterian Church at www.hppres.org
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