Paul Joseph McKenzie 1931-2011

MCKENZIE, BLAKE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/31/2013 at 13:41:32

Sioux City Journal
27 December 2011

SIOUX CITY -- Paul J. McKenzie, 80, of Sioux City passed away Friday, Dec. 23, 2011, at his residence.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Boniface Catholic Church, with the Rev. Michael Erpelding officiating. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a vigil service at 7 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service in Sergeant Bluff.

Paul Joseph McKenzie was born Oct. 22, 1931, in North Dakota, the son of Michael and Eva McKenzie. At the age of 8, young Paul was out shining shoes in downtown Sioux City, and by age 13, he had learned the craft of laying bricks. He was the youngest bricklayer in Sioux City. Due to an injury to his father, young Paul worked to support his family.

On Nov. 15, 1951, Paul was united in marriage to Donna Blake at St. Boniface. Paul continued working as a bricklayer, working for many of the area construction firms, Chris Hansen, Klinger and Audino Construction. During 1968, Paul and Pete Dean Started McKenzie-Dean Construction, which later became McKenzie Construction. He retired at age 72 in 2003.

Paul was a member of the St. Boniface Catholic Church. He was a devoted husband and father. He coached Little League in the area during the 1970s and was active with many of his children's sports and school functions. He was an avid cribbage player.

Paul is survived by his five sons, Gregory McKenzie and his wife, Sherri of Jefferson, S.D., David McKenzie of Sioux City, Timothy McKenzie and his wife, Teresa of Charleston, S.C., Thomas McKenzie and his wife, Debbie of Sioux City, and Joseph and his wife, Roxanne of Sioux City; a daughter, Deborha Kindig of Sioux City; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Eva Winslow of Michigan, Teresa Meyers of Sioux City and Dorothy Diamond of Nebraska.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna in 2010; an infant daughter; and one brother, Louis McKenzie.