Donald Mckenzie

DONALD FORREST McKENZIE Donald F McKenzie passed away at his home in Philipsburg, Montana on March 22, 2018. Don was born in Philipsburg on December 30th,1952 to Anna Mae and Forrest John (Toasty) McKenzie. He attended school in Philipsburg and was a 1971 graduate of Granite County High School. He often spent his Summers working on his Uncle's ranch in Hall. Don always had an artistic flair, a talent he said he inherited from his mother Anna Mae. In 1972 he enrolled at Montana State University at Bozeman studying art and majoring in art history. Don also had a talent for woodworking which he put to good use by opening a picture framing shop in downtown Bozeman while attending MSU. While attending MSU, Don also began to pursue another of his longtime passions-his love of flying and all things "aviation". He joined the university flying club, the MSU Flying Bobcats and began taking flying lessons. He soon "Soloed" under the watchful (and nervous) eye of his instructor who just "happened" to be his older brother Rod. After leaving Bozeman Don was hired by Budget Rent-a-Car. Upon completing indoctrination training in Portland, Oregon he was transferred to Dallas, Texas where he worked as a rental customer service agent in several different locations including the busy DFW airport. There he met and became engaged to Susan They were married in St Timothy's Chapel at Georgetown Lake. The couple then made their home in Minnesota where Don worked as a custodian for a local health club. The couple was blessed with two children, Forrest John and Elizabeth Anne before they divorced. Don then returned to his native Montana and to his love of aviation. He became a ramp /customer service agent with Delta Airlines in Missoula and also worked for Minuteman Aviation fueling aircraft. Also, during this time, Don developed a passion for gemstones. In his spare time, he studied the art of faceting and developed a vast personal knowledge of gems of all kinds. Some of his favorite pastimes included sifting through "sapphire dirt" at the local sapphire mines, and attending gem shows in the Pacific Northwest where he would sell the stones he had cut. After a period of time in Missoula, Don returned to his hometown of Philipsburg to be nearer to his mother in her final years. He founded "McKenzie Gems" and opened up a shop on lower Broadway. He was soon joined in Philipsburg by his companion Kathy Kopp. Together they ran the gem shop for several years. The shop was closed when Don decided to devote his full-time effort towards cutting gemstones which he continued to do up to the time of his passing. Don was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), and the Museum of Mountain Flying in Missoula. He was a certified Gemologist and was considered by his peers to be a master gem cutter. He was a member of the American society? He is survived by his brother Rod and wife Susan in Connecticut, daughter Elizabeth and husband Brad Apfel, son Forrest, and infant grand-daughter Sadie Belle McKenzie, all of Minnesota. Also surviving are cousins Jim and Lee Mason and families, Betty Jean Lundwall and family, Monte, Kip, and Geri (Corky) Mason. Also, cousins Ellen, Rose and Vicky Manley. He was preceded in death by his parents Anna Mae and Forrest John McKenzie, infant Brother Ronald Lee McKenzie, and longtime companion Kathy Kopp. Funeral Services will be at 11AM, Wednesday 11th at the Philipsburg Community Church. Interment will be in the Philipsburg Cemetery.

Service

APR 11. 11:00 AM (MDT)

Philipsburg Community Church 208 Community Avenue Philipsburg, MT