Randy Thomas McKenzie

Randy Thomas McKenzie passed away on Sunday, September 6, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri. Randy was born on July 6, 1955, in Fort Worth, Texas to the late Jack and Bennie Beach McKenzie. He is survived by his older brother Marshall McKenzie and wife Carol, and older sister Janet McKenzie Reinwald and husband Ross. Randy was the beloved husband of Karen Wantland McKenzie for 47 years and was the loving father of Luke McKenzie and Allison McKenzie Barvick and wonderful father-in-law to Joe Barvick. Randy was the proud Papa of Sam, Jack, Liam, Edith, and Patrick Barvick, and is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Randy was born in Fort Worth, Texas and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma with his family when he was 10, where he became an Eagle Scout in high school. Randy graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor’s in Geology in 1979, where he was a proud member of the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) fraternity. He met the love of his life and best friend, Karen Wantland, at OSU and the two married at her parents’ home in Tulsa on May 19, 1979. They celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary earlier this year. Randy and Karen welcomed their son, Luke, in 1985 and daughter, Allison, in 1987. Randy worked for many years as a geologist in Oklahoma City but was happy to return to his Texas roots with a move to Dallas in 1997 where he continued his work in geology. Randy retired from Denbury Resources in 2017, after 14 years with the company, including ten summers during which Allie was able to work alongside her dad as a geological clerk and see how much pride he took in his work and how beloved he was by his coworkers.

Randy loved to hunt and fish and spent many of his leisure hours hunting in the Texas Hill Country or fishing near his and Karen’s first retirement home on Lake Athens. Randy was also an avid SCUBA diver, and he and Karen took dive trips all over the world to explore the beauty under the surface. It was one of their favorite things to do together. He also loved music and a favorite pastime was attending concerts with Karen, maintaining a detailed spreadsheet of every show. Ever the rockhound, he also curated an extensive collection of fine fossil and mineral specimens and enjoyed sharing that passion with his grandsons.

Randy loved being a dad, and he was a great one. He was incredibly supportive of both his children, encouraging Luke’s piano study and indulging his horological interests, and cheering on Allie at her dance recitals and sporting events. Randy was always hands-on and made Luke and Allie’s childhoods full of fun and adventure, teaching them to fish, camp, and ski. He encouraged them in their pursuit of higher education and supported each of them as their adult lives took shape, always on hand to help out and give advice when needed. Luke and Allie are grateful to have inherited Randy’s meticulous and organized nature, as well as his infectious sense of humor.

Randy and Karen had recently moved to Kansas City, Missouri to be closer to their five grandchildren: Sam (12), Jack (8), Liam (7), Edith (5), and Patrick (1). Randy loved spending time with them, attending their sporting events and school activities, as well as being his silliest self, playing and spending time with them at home. Being their Papa was one of his great joys in life.

Randy was a great brother, cousin, uncle, and friend to many and was always so supportive of the people he loved, whether that meant watching each of his great nephew’s MiLB games, helping his brother pack up his home to move, enjoying annual fishing trips and dive trips with Karen and their close friends, or spending time at the deer lease he shared with friends and colleagues. He was beloved by so many and will be greatly missed.

Randy will be buried at White Chapel Cemetery in Gladstone, Missouri, with a committal service on Friday, September 18, 2026 at 10:30 am.

We will honor Randy and celebrate his life with a memorial service in Dallas, Texas at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home (7990 President George Bush, Turnpike, Dallas, TX 75252) on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 2:00 pm, with a reception to follow.