Mildred Nell MacKenzie

Mildred Nell MacKenzie, age 90, of Kingsport, passed away on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center Hospice after suffering a stroke on February 28th. Mildred, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, devoted Christian, accomplished musician, fabulous cook, talented seamstress, perfect housekeeper, and gracious hostess, was born on March 14, 1922 in Greenville, South Carolina. She lived in Anderson, South Carolina, for many years where she worked at Gallant-Belk as a buyer until retiring in 1999 after 25 years of service. In 2001, she returned to Kingsport to be closer to her family. At the time of her death, Mildred was a member of First Baptist Church of Kingsport where she belonged to the Koinonia Sunday School Class and until recently she was also a member of the senior choir.

She was preceded in death by her parents, E.D. and Nancy Earnest, three sisters: Inez Thrift, Edna Grubb and Lillian Earnest.

Surviving Mildred are her husband of 71 years, William (Bill) MacKenzie of the home; two daughters: Ellen (Dwight) Monday, Kingsport and Donna Kirby, Knoxville; one son, David (Ka-Lea) MacKenzie, Acushnet, Massachusetts; two grandchildren: Meghan (Chris) Carr, Kingsport, and Paul (Pakaorn) Kirby, San Diego, California; two step-grandchildren: Mercedes Moore, San Diego, California, and Casey (Jaimme) Moore, South Lake Tahoe, California; four great-grandchildren: Catherine and Claire Carr, Kingsport, and Jeffrey and Julia Kirby, Pensacola, Florida, and a step granddaughter, Jaida Moore, South Lake Tahoe, California. She was the beloved aunt to three nieces and two nephews.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Church Circle, Kingsport, with a Celebration of Mildred’s life following at 7:00 p.m. An entombment service will follow on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. in East Lawn Memorial Park in the Mausoleum Chapel of Memories. Pallbearers have been selected from family and friends; and the members of the Koinonia Sunday School Class were selected as Honorary pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Mildred’s memory be made to Gideon’s International-Kingsport East Camp, P.O. Box 3217, Kingsport, TN, 37664, or FISH Ministry (a ministry to Nicaragua), c/o Kingsport First Assembly of God, 2213 Brandon Lane, Kingsport, TN, 37660.

The family wishes to thank Dr. David Franzus and Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center Hospice staff for their extraordinary and compassionate care of Mildred.

Please visit www.eastlawnkingsport.com to leave a condolence for the family. East Lawn Funeral Home and Memorial Park is in charge of the arrangements and is honored to serve the MacKenzie family.