Katherine Burlingame McKenzie

Katherine Burlingame McKenzie age 93, died on Monday 2/6/12 at the State Veterans Home in Oxford, Mississippi. Funeral services will be at the First United Methodist Church in Batesville, Mississippi, on Wednesday 2/8/2012 at 11:00 AM. Visitation will be in the sanctuary from 9:30 AM until service time. Reverend Pat Ludham will officate, with Wells Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Graveside will be at 3:30 PM at Mizpah Cemetery in Durant, Mississippi with L.A. (Hap) Farber, Jr. officiating and also with full military honors. Pallbearers are: Boyce Keating, William McKenzie, Eddie Nabors, Craig Shideler, Kelly Shideler, Steven Shideler, Deck Stone and Scoot Wilson. Katherine McKenzie (Kay) was born October 11, 1918 in Buffalo, New York, to Frank M. Burlingame and Hazel Witmer Burlingame. She was the widow of William Henry "Mack" McKenzie, Jr., who was the long-time president of Peoples Bank in Durant, Mississippi. Kay graduated from Buffalo State College with a degree in Home Economics and briefly taught high school before joining the Women's Army Corp during World War II, where she served from 1942 to 1946, achieving the rank of Captain. Kay and Mack met while in the service. After they married, they made their home in Durant, Mississippi, where Kay enjoyed membership in several clubs and service organizations while participating fully in the activities of her husband and two children. She was treasurer for many years for the Durant First United Methodist Church, where she also taught youth Sunday School. She was also state treasurer for the Mississippi Conference of United Methodist Women, a leader in Explorer's Bible Study, and served as a member of the Missisippi State Board of Health. She enjoyed traveling, playing bridge, and was a superb seamstress. Widowed in 1974, Kay moved to Batesville, Mississippi, in 1988 to be near family and entered quickly into activities in the Batesville First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, O.W.L.S., senior adult ministries and Explorer's Bible Study. She also enjoyed serving as a poll worker in local elections and working as a member of Friends of the Library. She leaves two children: Barbara Elizabeth "Bonnie" McKenzie of Houston, TX. and William Henry "Bill" McKenzie III and his wife Marni of Batesville, MS. Sister: Marjorie Witmer Burlingame of Buffalo, New York. Three Grandchildren: Melanie Ruth McKenzie Thomas and husband Lent Ervin Thomas IV of Batesville, Missisippi; William Henry McKenzie IV and wife Marilyn Callahan McKenzie of Birmingham, Alabama; Joanna Katherine McKenzie of Oxford, Mississippi. Five Great-Grandchildren: Jackson Alexander Thomas, Ruth Elizabeth Thomas and Everett Robert Thomas of Batesville and William Henry McKenzie V and Abigail Grace McKenzie of Birmingham, Alabama. Special thanks is given to her daughter-in-law Marni Shideler McKenzie who served as primary caregiver in Kay's last years and to her granddaughter Joanna McKenzie for her faithful help during Kay's final months. The family also gratefully acknowledges the excellent care received from the staff at State Veterans Home in Oxford and Community Hospice. Memorial may be made to the First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 97, Batesville, MS 38606 or to Explorer's Bible Study, P.O. Box 425, Dickson, TN 37056.