Bruce J. McKenzie

It is with great sadness that the family of Bruce James Diack McKenzie announces his sudden passing on Monday, October 1, 2018 at the age of 73.  Bruce was born on February 21, 1945 in Montreal, Canada.  Bruce was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife of 29 years, Sandra C. (Mercadante) McKenzie in 1996. 

Bruce is survived by his three children, Kevin McKenzie (Dale), Christine Farley, and Michael McKenzie Sr. (Monica); ten grandchildren: Timothy Farley Jr., Michael McKenzie Jr., Patrick McKenzie, Kayla Farley, Keegan McKenzie, Delanie McKenzie, Andrew McKenzie, Tessa McKenzie, Jillian Farley, and Matthew McKenzie; two sisters, Barbara Hull and Sandra Stevenson (Thomas); several nieces and nephews of his extended family.

After living his early years in Montreal, Bruce moved to Wilmington in the early 1950s.  He proudly graduated from P.S. DuPont High School in 1963 where he was a standout wrestler his senior year. In 1966, Bruce enlisted in the US Navy where he served all over the globe.  During his time in the Navy, his training as a draftsman would form the foundation of his professional life in architecture and construction after the service.

Bruce married Sandy Mercadante in 1966, and after his time in the United States Navy concluded, they eventually settled in Claymont, Delaware.  Raising their young family, Bruce first began work as a draftsman at a local architecture firm, and in 1976 founded his business, McKenzie & Sons Construction Company.  As the sole proprietor, Bruce worked hard to grow his business.  Due to his talent, commitment to quality, and extraordinary work ethic, he found great success as a small business owner.  His business continued to thrive until he chose to wind it down after the loss of Sandy in 1996. 

As hard as Bruce worked in his business, he found the time and means to travel extensively with his family.  McKenzie family camping trips took them across the United States and Canada several times.  With Bruce behind the wheel of their pick-up truck camper, he led his family on countless adventures exploring North America for weeks or months at a time.  Scuba diving trips took him to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.  Later in life, Bruce’s love of travel took him on many other adventures, visiting Alaska, Europe, and more trips around the United States.

After retiring, Bruce enjoyed being on the go, connecting with friends, meeting new people, and searching for new adventures.  He was always moving: golfing, hiking, biking, skiing, or walking his beloved dog, Abby.  Bruce enjoyed Pickleball and recently began to play more competitively.  He was planning on traveling to New Mexico to compete at the Senior Olympics for Pickleball in early 2019.

Bruce was known as the vibrant and energetic Pop-Pop Mac.  He was eager to be with his grandchildren and take them on adventures, especially to ski or hike in the Poconos.  He was incredibly proud of his grandchildren (as many of his friends can attest) and beamed while attending games, swim meets, recitals, concerts, and other events.  Bruce enjoyed having his family together, playing games, and making memories.

In addition, Bruce was equally committed to being a faithful and longtime friend to many.  He truly cherished his buddies from high school and enjoyed spending time with them often.  He will be missed by many friends whom he has met along his journey.

While we mourn his passing, with every new adventure, when we live life to the fullest, Bruce lives on within us.

Visitation will be held at the Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Pike Creek on Sunday, October 7 from 3:00-5:00PM.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Ann’s Church, Gilpin Avenue and Union Streets, Wilmington on Monday, October 8 at 10:30AM.  Interment will follow in Gracelawn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please take the time to reflect on Bruce, and choose a charity that speaks to you and make a donation in his honor.  Some charities to consider:

https://delawaregreenways.org/support/donate or Rails to Trails Poconos

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bruce J. McKenzie, please visit our floral store.