Marian McKenzie, our beloved wife, mother, grandma, great-grandma, sister, daughter, nurse and friend, left this world very peacefully Saturday, February 15, with her family at her side.

Marian was born August 16, 1936, in Friend, Nebraska to Hazel (McCauley) and Harold Humphrey, the oldest of three kids, and she was always affectionately called Sis by her family.  The family moved to Colorado, then Utah, as “Hal” continued to be promoted at Mountain Bell.  They eventually settled in Helena, Montana when Marian was a junior in high school.  It’s there that she first ran into a dashing redhead by the name of Dave McKenzie.

Marian graduated from Helena’s Cathedral High School and then went to Denver to obtain her nursing degree from St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing.

Marian married the love of her life, Dave McKenzie, Aug. 30, 1958, in Helena, and the love birds began their 56-year marriage in Denver.  Dave and Marian moved to Rapid City, South Dakota the same year.  It was there that their first four children were born, and Dave began his career in the liquor business while Marian put her career on hold to focus on raising her family.

In 1964, Dave and Marian took their growing family to Minneapolis, where Dave joined the Barclays Co., and advanced his career. A job transfer took everybody to Fort Lauderdale for a couple of years.  Two more children rounded out the McKenzie clan during this time.

In 1976, the family moved to La Crosse and it became home for the rest of their lives. Marian got recertified as a registered nurse and went to work as a pediatric nurse at Gundersen for the next twenty years.  Over the years, Marian and Dave were blessed with many wonderful friends, grandchildren and memories of the coulee region.

Marian and Dave loved to travel and were fortunate to visit many different countries together, but her favorite destination was always the Emerald Isle. In the fall of 2017 Marian took her all of her kids and their spouses to Ireland for ten days.  We all sprinkled Dave’s ashes over the Cliffs of Moher.

A woman of deep faith, Marian taught us all about how to turn the other cheek, treat people with respect and help those in need.  She started a grief counseling group at St. Elizabeth’s after Dave died in 2015 and help many people heal.  She loved it when her kids went to church with her.

She loved a glass of merlot, Perry Como and a good bargain.  Everyone remembers how “the look” could stop a stampeding herd of buffaloes, or a bunch of rampaging kids.

Quotes we’ll always remember:

“What does your father think about this?”

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph.”

“Mike, John, Pat; god dammit what is your name?”

“Where have you been?”

Marian is survived by her children, Michael (Jennifer) McKenzie, Maureen (Roy) Stintzi, John (Laurie) McKenzie, Patrick (Linda) McKenzie, Matthew (Mitch Hildman) McKenzie and Colleen (John) Daines; grandchildren, Conor, Nolan, David (Kristen), Kelsey (Mikel), Morgan, Mara, Erin, Killian, Sam (Elizabeth), Kyle, Mackenzie (Daniel) Betancourt, Spencer, Jack and Rylee; great-grandchildren, Jaylyn, Kashton, Aiden and Layla; sister, Carole Humphrey and brother, John Humphrey; in-laws, Walt Kuehlthau, Joyce Taylor, Thomas McKenzie, Bill Morrissette and many, many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers-in-law, John R “Pat” McKenzie Jr and Jim Taylor; sisters-in-law, Janice Morrissette, Judy Kuehlthau, Barb Brown and Betty Humphrey; daughter-in-law, Deborah McKenzie; nephew, Daniel Humphrey; and her in-laws, Viv and Red McKenzie.

The family wishes to extend special thanks to all the family and friends that reached out to Marian in the last few weeks of her life, and St. Elizabeth’s Church in Holmen. Go out and give everyone you love a hug today.

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to St. Elizabeth’s Church, Holmen, Wisconsin in Marian’s memory.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, February 20, at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Holmen. Visitation will be held from 9:30 until 11 a.m. the same day at St. E’s.  A luncheon at the church will follow services.

Marian will be interned together with Dave at a later date at Fort Snelling Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Coulee Region Cremation Group (www.couleecremation.com) is assisting the family with arrangements.