Mrs. Verena O. McKenzie

Verena Oelaria McKenzie (née Walters), the queen mom of the McKenzie Clan, transitioned to heaven unexpectedly due to complications from pneumonia Monday, April 20, 2020. She was 91 years young and lived a fruitful life. Verena is survived by her eleven children and their spouses, 29 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and an innumerable circle of loving friends and family gathered over the years. She joins the love of her life, her husband Roy George, as well as her son Roy Angel, her father Claude L. Walters, her mother Doris Wilson, and her sisters Lillian Scotland and Miriam Lamb. Verena was born in Camaguey, Cuba, on December 16, 1928. She left Cuba with her father when she was five. She enjoyed most of her childhood and early adult life in Jamaica. While attending St. Joseph’s Teacher’s Training College in St. Andrew, she met her sweetheart Roy McKenzie. They married on December 26, 1953, and started their own family. Verena taught at Alpha Junior School in Kingston from 1952 to 1963. In May of ’63, Roy and a newly pregnant Verena migrated with their seven children to the United States to embark on new beginnings. Verena stressed the importance of education her entire life. While raising her 12 children - all graduated from Catholic school - she returned to college and obtained her Master’s in Education from St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, NY, in 1984. She continued her prolific career of teaching in the Archdiocese of New York Catholic school system until she retired. Verena was a virtuous woman, a deeply pious child of God, and a devout member of the Catholic Church. She served for years as a Columbiette on the St. Columba Council, No. 1119, of the Knights of Columbus and donated generously of her time and money to charitable religious causes all over the world. Her commitment to service, ministry, and community endeared her to all she met, and she will be deeply missed by those who walk with her legacy. Whether you knew her as Mommy, Grandma, GG, Auntie, Nena, Miss Mac, Mom, Ma, or Mother McKenzie, you could not forget her. She would not let you. To meet Verena was to be loved as Family. Verena loved to travel and went on many trips all over the world. Mama loved to dance and “Rosemary” is once again dancing with her “Boy Blue” in heaven. Services Evening Viewing - 5:00 to 9:00 PM on Friday, May 8, 2020, at Pope Funeral Homes 5538 Marlboro Pike Forestville MD 20747 Evening Prayer Service (private/live-streamed) 8:00 - 9:00 PM Morning Viewing 9:30 to 10:30 AM on Saturday, May 9, 2020, at St. Augustine Catholic Church 15th & V Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 Funeral Mass (private/live-streamed) 11:00 AM by pastor Rev Patrick Smith Interment Private at Sacred Heart Garden Mausoleum, St. Charles / Resurrection Cemetery Farmingdale, N.Y Gifts In lieu of flowers please donate to any of the following charities: Catholic Charities - https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/ Saint Augustine Catholic School - https://staug-dc.org/ St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy - https://sfabrooklyn.org/ Stella Maris Church - http://stellamarisfoundation.yolasite.com/about-us.php

Mrs. Verena O. McKenzie

December 16, 1928 - April 20, 2020