| Graduation Year | Class of 1960 |
| Date of Passing | Nov 08, 2016 |
| About | Stanley Don McKenzie was born July 10, 1942, in Yakima, Washington and passed away the morning of November 8 , 2016 in Tucson, Arizona. Stan was born to Don and Jean McKenzie, long time educators in Yakima. He grew up in Yakima enjoying family, friends, school and church activities (he attended and helped with Saturday Skating at First Presbyterian social hall and later at Camp Gormley). Stan was a member of the first class to do all their high school years at then new Eisenhower High School where he was involved in many activities. He took up tennis once he was fitted for glasses. Stan loved hiking, camping, boating etc. at Rimrock Lake and in the Cascades. Stan went to college at MIT to study mathematics and discovered he loved classical literature more. He completed his masters and doctoral degrees in English Literature at the University of Rochester and then began his career at Rochester Institute of Technology. Stan married Michael Koehler in 1968; they were later divorced. Teaching literature was always part of his professional life. He was always reading, learning, thinking, encouraging, giving. His favorite authors to share were Shakespeare, Tolkien, and Mark Twain. Through the years, while continuing to do lectures on these authors, Stan added other roles to career at RIT including Dean of Students and then Provost. As a colleague and friend, Steve, wrote, “Stan was a big man with oversized curiosity and authenticity - genuine to the bone. Stan was seriously humorous, fully appreciative of irony while being inoffensively dismissive of sarcasm. He was enviously able to separate an attack on an idea from an attack on an individual.” He laughed at himself more often than he did at others, but most often he laughed with others.” Stan has written that any successes of teachers will be reflected by their students’ successes in living lives characterized by dignity, respect and purpose as thoughtful citizens of a diverse world.” Stan had a retirement home designed and built for him by a friend in Tucson, Arizona. He loved it there and divided his time there with doing some lecture classes at RIT, going to Shakespeare Festivals, and visiting in the Northwest. He loved having people come and enjoy time in AZ with him. Stanley was predeceased by his son Thomas. He is survived by his sister Barbara Hagen and husband Larry; their sons Barry, David, Steve and their families; and many cousins. If you wish, gifts may be made to RIT or a charity of your choice in Stan’s name. Gifts may be made in the form of donations to RIT or a charity of your choice. A memorial will take place in Rochester, New York during 2017. Yakima Herald Republic, Yakima, WA December 18, 2016. |
