Harma L. McKenzie

Harma L. McKenzie, 98, of Ottawa, KS passed away Wednesday, December 21, 2022, at Rock Creek, Ottawa.

She was born June 26, 1924, in Olathe, KS, the daughter of James S. Petersen and Genevieve (Rock) Petersen.  Harma grew up in Olathe, KS, graduating from Olathe High School with the class of 1941. She then graduated from Ottawa University with the class of 1945.

On September 6, 1945, Harma was united in marriage to Emory McKenzie, in Olathe, KS.  They shared fifty-nine years of marriage until the death of Emory in 2005.

Harma worked as a Social Welfare caseworker in Johnson County, KS, and as a librarian at Duke University, Durham, NC, while her husband was working towards his Master’s degree there.  She was Assistant Librarian at Ouachita University, Arkadelphia, AR, while her husband was a professor at Ouachita University.  She taught English for one term at Michigan Valley High School in Kansas, and was a grader for the English Department at Ottawa University for five years. She often served as a “room mother” for Hawthorne Elementary in Ottawa, while her children were attending school there.

She was a member of the Ottawa First Baptist Church, a member of the Homebuilders Sunday School class that she taught for over 25 years, as well as Mission Possible and Samaritan Circles, and was an active member of the American Baptist Women--serving for over twenty years in both regional and national offices. 

She served as Chaplain of the General Hand Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution in Ottawa; Chaplain of Kansas Society of Mayflower Descendants; a member of the Ottawa University Women’s Club, and of Beta Gamma.  She was a life member of the Ottawa University Women’s Education Society and a life member of the Central Baptist Theology Seminary Auxiliary.  Known as a “speed reader” whose favorite hobby was reading several books a day, she was also a life member of Ottawa Friends of the Library.  She was a member of the Ottawa Rotary club and a Paul Harris Fellow.  She was also a member of the Red Hat Society.  In 1993, she and Emory received the Distinguished Service Award of the Ottawa University Alumni Association.  In 2010, Harma was honored to become a member of the Olathe School District Wall of Honor.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Emory McKenzie in 2005; by her son James S. McKenzie in Lawrence, KS, in 2015; and by her parents.

Harma is survived by a daughter Karen McKenzie-McAdoo, of Ottawa, KS; five grandchildren: Kevin McAdoo and his wife, Sarah, of Ottawa, KS; Kirk McAdoo and his wife, Kim, of Omaha, NE; Scott McKenzie of Big Fork, MT; Amanda (McKenzie) Miller and her husband, Jerod, Overland Park, KS; Erin (McKenzie) Tyson and her husband Matt, Lenexa, KS; and eleven great-grandchildren: Gage McKenzie; Camden and  Ella Miller; Brooks, Cooper, and Reid Tyson; Duncan McAdoo; Laila Heffner, Willow, Emory, and Samuel McAdoo.

A private interment will be at Highland Cemetery, Ottawa. Funeral Services will be held 1:30 p.m. Thursday, December 29, 2022 at First Baptist Church, Ottawa.    A visitation will immediately follow the service at the church, in the church parlor.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Ottawa University Petersen/McKenzie Family Scholarship Fund; or to First Baptist Church, Ottawa, KS, sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067.

Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.

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