My dear friend Andrea McKenzie recently celebrated her 94th birthday. Her many friends at the Elder Citizens Recreation Centre threw a surprise birthday party for her that reduced her to tears.
Here is a short history about this totally amazing woman who has accomplished a great deal, raised a large family and did thousands of hours of volunteer work in these past 94 years and as I see it, there is no sign of stopping in sight.
Andra Marguerite Marie McKenzie, R.N. was born in Laurier, Manitoba in 1920. Her father Francois de La Barriere came to Canada from France at the age of 16. Andras mother was Alma Berthelette, who was born in the state of North Dakota.
Andra reflects back and explains, In 1938, I entered nursing school at St. Boniface Hospital, graduated in 1941, and worked on staff in maternity and in the O.R.
In 1945, I met my husband-to-be, Dr. Jack McKenzie who had arrived at the hospital to do his medical internship. After his graduation from the University of Manitoba and his discharge from military service, we were married in 1946 and moved to the mining town of Michel-Natal to start our lives together. (Michel-Natal is a couple of miles down the road from Sparwood, BC. which at that time contained 4 houses). We moved to Prince George in 1947, Jacks home town and where he still had family.
Together we proudly raised six children: Andrea (George Kos), Frances (Raymond Roch), Gerard (Susan), Kathleen (Allen Soltis), Douglas (Maris) and Kevin (Shannon) and they in turn gave us 17 grandchildren and two step great grandchildren.
Jack was building up a busy medical practice and I kept busy happily bringing up a family and doing volunteer work all along the way. As I stayed closely involved with my young family I served as a Tawny Owl for the Girl Guides,(note of interest: Bea Dezell was my Brown Owl), secretary for the Home and School Association of Sacred Heart School, and past president of Tau Chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. Along with many other moms and their children I played an active part in hockey, figure skating, Little League, music lessons and the list goes on and on.
The couple built their home in the Millar Addition in 1953 and lived there for 35 years. Dr. Jack and Andrea celebrated 66 years of marriage before her beloved Jack passed away in 2013.
Andra was always involved in choir singing from a very young age. On arrival in Prince George she joined the church choir and also the Catholic Womens League (CWL) and 68 years later, she is still very involved with both organizations at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
She kept up with her work for the CWL serving as parish president, becoming diocesan president, and worked at the Provincial Council level. In 1981 she was awarded the Bene Merenti Medal given by His Holiness Pope John Paul II for service to the Diocese of Prince George and in 1999 she was awarded a life membership in the CWL for all her dedicated years of work.
Andra said, As the family grew up and left the nest I took a book-keeping course and returned to work as Jacks office business manager and replacement nurse- receptionist. I quickly got to know a lot of Jacks wonderful patients. I enjoyed working for and with him until we both retired from his practice in 1985.
We finally had lots of time to travel extensively. Our trips to the Hawaiian Islands were always and still are my favourite destinations.
Andra has been actively involved with the Elder Citizens Recreation Centre for over 20 years. She is a charter member of the centres Rainbow Singers - now known as the Forever Young Chorus. She has served on the Board of Directors for five years, four as secretary and one year as vice- president. She was part of the centres line dance group right up to the age of 89 years old.
Today she is still a very busy volunteer at the centre: She sings in the choir, sells choir show tickets, produces many of the posters and tickets for the centres events and is a huge part of the publishing committee that puts together the monthly news letter for the members.
Andra feels very blessed in having a loving, supportive family as well as many good friends in both her church and E.C.R.A. communities. Her ultimate goal is to live to be 100 years old, God willing.
