John Ashton MacKenzie

MacKENZIE, The Honorable John Ashton, 92, died January 1, 2010. Judge MacKenzie, a Portsmouth native, was the son of the late, Henry William and Clara Maupin Ashton MacKenzie. A graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, Judge MacKenzie received his undergraduate and law degrees from Washington and Lee University, where he was president of Kappa Alpha fraternity. He then served as an officer in the Coast Guard during World War II. While practicing law in Portsmouth, he was appointed assistant judge in Portsmouth Police Court, then was elected to the State Legislature of Virginia where he served from 1954-1958. He was president of the Portsmouth Assembly from 1950-1955. Judge MacKenzie was appointed to the United States District Court in 1967 where he served until he retired in 1997. During his service in the U.S. District Court, he was elected president of the District Court Judges Association, Eastern Virginia, Fourth Circuit in 1978, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia 1980-1986, Federal Jury Committee 1972-1980, Eastern Virginia Chairman, Council of Boy Scouts 1972-1973, president of the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce in 1967 and First Citizen of Portsmouth in 1968. He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, where he served on the vestry, Senior Warden and as a trustee. He was also a member of the American Bar Association, the Rotary Club and the Pyramid Club. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Martha M. Clark and Clara M. Jernigan; and his brother, Judge Henry W. MacKenzie. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth Nash MacKenzie; his sister, Theodosia M. Adair; as well as his daughter, Elizabeth N. Hudgins and husband, Michael H. Pitt; his son, Henry C. Hudgins and wife, Candace Hudgins, and former wife, Maria B. Hudgins; four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, seven nieces and a nephew. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 6, at Trinity Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Trinity Church, 500 Court St., Portsmouth, Va. 23704, or to a charity of one's choice. Foster Funeral Home, Portsmouth, is assisting the family.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.