John Duncan MacKenzie  '49  died peacefully on January 18, 2003 at the age of 71 after a brief illness.  Born in Southern California to Barbara Haines and J.F. MacKenzie, General Manager of Hollywood Turf Club, Duncan grew up in Palos Verdes and San Marino.

His training as an Explorer Scout and many visits to the desert and High Sierras gave him a deep love and knowledge of nature.  He was most at home in wild places and was a sportsman, traveler, and naturalist.  He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from Stanford University in education, later teaching in St. Helena and Ross.  Always interested in history and its artifacts, he pursued his love for antiques with the keenness of a treasure hunter, taking pleasure in the whimsy and beauty of everyday objects.  Those who knew him well greatly appreciated his sharp wit, sense of the absurd, and fineness of character.  Independent to the last, he was interested in many subjects, and, once coaxed, had a wealth of knowledge and stories to share.

He leaves three daughters:  Heather MacKenzie, Minnesota; Hilary MacKenzie, Monterey Peninsula; and Avery MacKenzie, Amsterdam; two sisters, Joan Burke of Sedona and Gail MacKenzie of Carmel; and one grandson Brennan Haelig, Minnesota.

Marin Independent Journal