Grover McKenzie Jr.

1927 - 2023

Grover McKenzie Jr., age 95, a former resident of Chester, PA and founding member of The Grover and Sara McKenzie Family Foundation, Inc., passed away on Monday, November 13, 2023. He was born and raised in St, Matthews, SC on November 22, 1927 to the late Grover Lee McKenzie and Willa Octavia (Green) McKenzie. Following high school, he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in the Philippines. He later earned an associate degree in business from the Benjamin Franklin Business School in Philadelphia. Grover married Sara (Gibbs) McKenzie (deceased) of Chester. In 1955, he was the first Black professional employee to work at the Scott Paper Company's corporate headquarters. After 35 years, he retired as a Data Processing Manager. He spent his retirement years in New Bern, NC until his wife's passing and then lived in Wake Forest, NC. Grover fathered seven children: Gerald McKenzie, Iris (McKenzie) Foreman, Renee (McKenzie) Hayward, Grover McKenzie III, Darryl McKenzie, Wayne McKenzie (deceased) and Andre McKenzie (deceased). He had 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by sisters-in-law Annie (Bowie) Jones, Viola Bowie, Gail Bowie, and brother-in-law Charles T. Bowie. The complete obituary can be found at www.mckenziefamilyfoundation.org. Services will be held on Friday, November 24th at St. John A.U.M.P. Church in Chester. Viewing at 10 AM. Funeral at 11 AM. Burial will be in New Bern, NC the following Monday.