Doris M. McKenzie

Doris M. McKenzie September 2, 1921 - February 6, 2006 Doris M. McKenzie, 84, quietly left our lives in the early morning of Monday, February 6, 2006, in Steamboat Springs, Colo., where she had been staying recently, surrounded by her large and loving family. Born Doris Hermance at Burlington, Colo., on September 2, 1921, she moved with her family to Telluride, Colo., in 1934, where she graduated from high school in 1939. After graduating from the Barnes Business School in Denver, she returned to the Telluride area working at the Alta Mine boarding house. She rode the mine tram from the town of Ophir, southwest of Telluride, to the mine each day to get to work. While working there, she met a young miner, Clare (Mac) D. McKenzie, whom she married in 1941, just prior to his serving his country in World War II. Following his military service, the young couple moved to Grand Junction, Colo., where they lived and raised their six children, five sons and a daughter until his death in 1986. While raising children and tending to a very busy household, Doris also worked in their business, Colorado Macco, a construction company Mac started in 1959. Doris is remembered by neighborhood children as one of the most fun-loving and tolerant moms around. Always glad to see the numerous friends of her children, she welcomed them to the family table or the family activities. In addition to her children and husband, Doris also spent several years caring for her mother, Mary Hermance, who lived near the McKenzie family. Outside of her family and home, Doris' main passion was participation in the Sweet Adeline's singing group, a charter member of the Grand Mesa Chapter for 18 years. She belonged to a quartet, The 4-way Junction, and traveled to many states for competition, undoubtedly keeping the trips lively with her sense of humor and quick wit. Doris also was an accomplished artist, creating in oils and mixed media pictures that she frequently gave to family members and friends. Several of her sons have worked for TIC - The Industrial Company, an industrial construction company that was started by her eldest son, Ron McKenzie, in Steamboat Springs in 1974. In addition to the many Colorado Maaco employees who later worked for TIC, Doris made friends widely throughout the TIC organization. Always the life of the party, Doris attended most of the company's numerous social events, joining in the antics of construction hands at picnics, Christmas parties and other gatherings. She always kept tabs on what TIC was doing, and employees throughout the country will miss her presence at those events. For the past 14 years she and her companion, Floyd Hockins, continued to travel, primarily visiting their many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In addition to her husband, Mac McKenzie, Doris was preceded in death by her parents, Fletcher and Mary Hermance, and brothers Burtis and Wilford (Slim) Hermance. Her six children, Janice Illian, Ron, Gary and Kenny McKenzie, of Steamboat Springs, Mark McKenzie of Bakersfield, Calif., and Terry, of Grand Junction, survive her along with 13 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Doris will always be remembered for her great sense of humor, eternal optimism and zest for life. She will be greatly missed by all. Services will be conducted by Callahan-Edfast Mortuary, 2515 Patterson Road, Grand Junction, Colo., at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 11, 2006. The McKenzie family is suggesting contributions to the American Cancer Society in memory of Doris.