Richard A. "Ric" McKenzie Jr.

Ric McKenzie passed away at his home in Salem, Oregon on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 after a year-long battle with esophageal cancer. Though a long-time resident of the Willamette Valley, Ric was born in Kalispell, Montana. He graduated from North Salem High School in 1972. Ric was very active in the community and was a co-founder of the Salem Community Drum Circle in 1997 as well as volunteering every year at the Oregon Country Fair as the "Oven Master" for the Phoenix Rising Cookie booth which donates all of the yearly proceeds to community charities. Ric loved working with people and had experience as a concrete finisher, Safeway bakery manager, lineman and manager for Kettle Chips, limousine driver and also as a service technician for air/water machines throughout Oregon and Washington. Yet, if you asked him what he did you would most often hear, "I make people smile" and he did.