Lela M. Mckenzie

Salem - Lela M. McKenzie, 99, of 1166 Benton Road, formerly of Washingtonville, died at 5:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at Grace Woods Senior Living of Salem.

Mrs. McKenzie was born July 12, 1912 in Alliance, a daughter of Glenn and Esther Cameron Hawkins and had lived in Salem eight years, coming from Washingtonville. She attended Capitol University, Columbus and graduated from Kent State University. She had been employed first at the former Fairfield Elementary School for two years and then by the Leetonia Board of Education as an Elementary and Special Education teacher for 28 years, retiring in 1976. She was inducted into the Crestview Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in 2011.

She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, Washingtonville and was a member for 60 years of the Thursday Reading Club of Leetonia. She was also a member of the Friends & Neighbors Club, the Lend A Hand Club, Lutheran Church Women, the Columbiana County Retired Teachers Association, AARP, Delta Kappa Gamma, and also served on the board and volunteered for RSPV of Columbiana County. She served on the Leetonia Library Board for 30 years and had served as secretary for many years.

Her husband, Russell McKenzie, whom she married November 19, 1932 died September 14, 1972.

She is survived by two sons, Richard (Janice) McKenzie of Salem and the Rev. Dr. Carl (Barbara) McKenzie of Hendersonville, NC; and three grandchildren, the Rev. Dr. Timothy McKenzie, Jonathan McKenzie, and Kathryn Waitzman.

Three brothers, the Rev. Harold Hawkins, Vernon Hawkins, and Galen Hawkins are also deceased.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Salem with Pastor William Medford and Pastor Alan Smearsoll officiating. Burial will follow in Hope Cemetery. Friends may call at the Woods-Rettig Funeral Home, Leetonia from 5-8 p.m. on Friday.

Memorial tributes may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church, Washingtonville and the Leetonia Public Library.