Stuart McKenzie

Lifelong Bruin and family man, Stuart McKenzie, passed away suddenly on Tuesday evening with his children at his side. Born in Hermosa Beach, California on March 7, 1921, Stu was the fourth of five children born to George Jordan McKenzie and Mary Edna Manley. He attended Hollywood High where he played football and was Vice-President of the Letterman’s Club. In 1938, Stu entered UCLA where he had the time of his life: playing football with Jackie Robinson and Kenny Washington, acting as President of the Men’s Students, and courting his future wife, the love of his life, Patricia Anne Scott (d. 2009). Like many of his generation, he served our country in World War II.

Pat and Stu shared a life and a love respected and admired by all who knew them. They raised their three boys, Stuart, Chris (d. 1994), and Terry, with humor and kindness. They loved to camp as a family in Yosemite, to play Scrabble, and to spend time in their Balboa and Palm Desert homes. They were partners and friends, true joys to be around. The few times they were apart were for Stu to body surf (which he did into his eighties) and to play golf (which he never stopped playing); he was an avid athlete, he loved to sail -- he was a member of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club for fifty years -- and to walk -- he cruised the Newport Beach Peninsula nearly every day -- well into his eighties.

Those who knew Stu will profoundly miss his outstanding sense of humor and his unfailing generosity (except when it came to See’s Candies). Stu was always willing to share a laugh or a story from his time at UCLA or in the Army during World War II. It is always hard to lose a family member, but some members so define the character of their family that life is forever changed. Stu was one of those characters -- he will always be missed. Fittingly, not too long ago, he left his family and friends a wonderful gift, a book of “Memories,” he subtitled, “My Happy Life.” Stu is survived by his oldest son, Stuart (Sally); his youngest son, Terry (Laurie); his grandchildren, David (Michelle), Michele (Tim), Kelly, Janel, Cara, Allison, Andrew, and Ian; and his great-grandchildren, Tyler, Marissa, Joshua, Akemi, and Christopher. A celebration of his life will be held at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club on Saturday, November 13, 2010, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.