Aunt Edie passes away this morning at 10:05. She was suffering a lot in the last months, bed-ridden, since she fell and broke her hip in late last summer. She entered the Kingdom that she so faithfully kept her eyes upon during her life. She was an inspiration to many in my extended family, especially the kids. She took great pains to give each and every one maximum attention while at the same time she whipped up incredible and delicious meals. The contents of her toy closet were known to all of us. She will be laid to rest on Antelope Hill near Prescott Valley. She has passed through the hall of brightness and entered into the realm of Light. Give thanks, Jah, Rastafari. There is a small lake with flowers, water lilies, brilliant white and pink. Clouds drift in reflection in the sky, dissipate slowly, melting into the blue-white. there is no sun, but only Light suffused everywhere, coming from all. She is restored.
Crescent moon, passed by Saturn, leaping ahead, waxing.
Mrs. Edith Bates MacKenzie, 77; of Prescott Heights went to be with the Lord on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002, from the Prescott Samaritan Village in Prescott.
She is survived by Alfred, her loving husband of 57 years; by her younger sister, Gladys Plotner, of Tucson; 15 nieces and nephews, 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She will be mourned by many friends and their children, including missionary friends.
Edith was born in Philadelphia on June 7, 1924, to William and Florence Bates. When she was a toddler, her parents took her to the Tanzania region of Africa for a nine-year stint of missionary work. The family returned to Philadelphia in 1936 and moved to Boston in 1940, where she met her husband-to-be. After finishing high school in Boston, she attended Wheaton College in Illinois.
Edith married Alfred MacKenzie on June 22, 1944. The next 39 years were spent in homemaking and numerous missions-oriented activities at downtown Boston’s Park Street Church. At vacation times and many weekends, the targets were the mountains of New Hampshire, Maine and Mount Desert Island with its rocky seacoast. On special occasions, trips were made to the canyons and mountains of the West. Edith has climbed both Longs Peak and Mt. Elbert.
When retirement time came, the family moved to Prescott. Edith and her husband spent time camping, photographing and exploring the geological beauties of the West. In between times they were active members of the Prescott Heights Church.
Graveside services will be held at the Redwood Memorial Gardens on Saturday, March 2, at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that gifts be made to the Prescott Heights Church Building Fund, 700 Rosser St., Prescott AZ 86301. Memory Chapel assisted the family with the arrangements.
