Elaine Mckenzie

Elaine Lamb McKenzie passed away on the evening of August 4, 2022, after living with Alzheimer’s Disease for several years. Elaine was 90 years old, having been born in Alexandria, Louisiana on January 23, 1932, to the Reverend Charles E. Lamb and Mary Hawkins Lamb. Elaine’s childhood was spent mostly in Baton Rouge and in Chattahoochee, Florida, and she resided in Baton Rouge for most of her adult life. Elaine graduated from Istrouma High School in Baton Rouge in 1949. She then entered Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana where she met her future husband, Wallace McKenzie. Elaine and Wallace were married in San Antonio, Texas on July 13, 1951, while he was on three-day leave from service in the U.S. Air Force. Elaine continued her college studies at Austin College in Sherman, Texas and at the University of North Texas at Denton, earning her bachelor’s degree in mathematics education in 1958. She earned a master’s degree in education, with an emphasis in counseling, from Louisiana State University in 1978. Elaine was a dedicated teacher of mathematics in public schools for most of her career, first in Texas and then in Baton Rouge at Sherwood Jr. High and Glen Oaks High Schools. After having taken summer classes at LSU, she developed and taught introductory and advanced computer science classes at Glen Oaks, at the time a new innovation in East Baton Rouge Parish public schools. She retired from the public school system in 1997, having served her last several years as a guidance counselor at Glen Oaks. Elaine also was a talented musician who loved to play piano and sing in her church choirs. At Broadmoor Baptist Church, she enjoyed singing duets with Wallace and also singing solos in the church’s musical productions. She particularly loved to accompany Broadmoor Baptist’s children’s choir on piano. For many years, Elaine was a member of the Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus, a highlight being a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2004. Elaine was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Charles E. Lamb, Jr.; and her beloved son, Charles Martin McKenzie. She is survived by her husband of 71 years, Wallace McKenzie; her daughter, Lesley McKenzie; her granddaughters, Emily, Phoebe and Daphne; and her niece, Debbie Lamb. Elaine was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, at Broadmoor Baptist Church, 9755 Goodwood Boulevard, Baton Rouge from noon until 1:00 p.m. The funeral service will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. by Dr. Leonard Ezell, pastor of Broadmoor Baptist. Arrangements for burial are under the direction of Resthaven Gardens of Memory and Funeral Home. The family suggests that memorial donations may be made for dementia research to Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org, or for supporting local animal shelters to Capital Area Animal Welfare Society, www.caaws.org, or Companion Animal Alliance, www.caabr.org.