Nelda Lou (Poage) McKenzie was born to Elihu and Edna Poage on March 6, 1936, in Wentworth, Missouri. She transitioned peacefully on September 20, 2024, in Wichita, Kansas, surrounded by her loved ones.
Nelda was the eldest of seven children and helped her family on their farm. Starting at age 12, she attended the Missouri School for the Deaf, where she also worked in the kitchen. In the early 1960s, Nelda met Charles McKenzie at a picnic hosted by the school. After the picnic, he waited with her on a bench for her parents to pick her up so he could ask for permission to drive her home. Eventually, Charles asked Nelda’s father for her hand in marriage.
Charles and Nelda married on August 1, 1966, and moved to Kansas, where they were blessed with three children. Nelda was a stay-at-home mom while her children were young. Later, she began working at Cessna, then at KETCH as a supervisor, and eventually at Center Industries, where she retired.
Charles and Nelda were married for 33 years before his passing in early 1998. In the early 2000s, Nelda met James Hansen, and they were married for 8 years until his passing in 2011.
Nelda was always present at family recitals, performances, and any event related to her loved ones. She was highly involved in the Deaf community and enjoyed attending church, fellowship, and Bible study.
Nelda is preceded in death by her husbands, Charles McKenzie and James Hansen; her parents, Elihu and Edna Poage; her siblings, William (Bill) Poage and Gloria Hagebusch; sister-in-laws, Shirley and Barbara Poage; and son-in-law, Phillip Dunn.
She is survived by her children: Pauline Dunn, Russell (Tina) McKenzie, and Molly Pourhussin; her grandchildren: Blake (Jessica) Dunn, Lauren Sutton, Brittany (William) Rice, and Autumn Pourhussin; her great-grandchildren: Addisyn, Christopher, Lillian, Ryder, William Jr., Gavin, Aurora, and Bailey; and siblings: Ron (Merena) Poage, Tom (Jackie) Poage, Carolyn (Patrick) Davis and Carrol Poage.
In her honor, donations can be made to the Wichita Association of the Deaf (WAD).
A visitation for Nelda will be held Friday, October 4, 2024 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Resthaven Mortuary, 11800 West Highway 54, Wichita, KS 67209.
A funeral service will occur Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 1:00 PM, with visitation beginning one hour before at Reliance Community Church, 11910 W Pawnee St, Wichita, KS 67215 with a graveside service immediately following at Resthaven Gardens of Memory, Garden of Freedom, Lot 78C, Space 2, 11800 W. Kellogg, Wichita, KS 67209.
