Stuart MacKenzie, son of Alistair and Helen MacKenzie, was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and raised in Kitsilano, Vancouver. He was predeceased by his parents and his wife, June Sherwood; survived by his sister Cathy Horton of Salmon Arm, and his cousins.
Stuart’s lifelong interest in the arts led him to UBC where he studied fine art under Gordon Smith, Bob Steele and Penny Gouldstone. After graduation, he became a high school art teacher and continued to exhibit his work in Vancouver as a member of Ashcan Studio, before moving to the Sunshine Coast in the early ‘80s.
Stuart and June ran a commercial art business, Graphic House, and were involved during the early years of Festival of the Written Arts and the Sunshine Coast Art Centre. Stuart excelled at screen printing and photography. His friends loved his annual handmade Christmas card.
During his later years he delivered newspapers, volunteered at the Sechelt Library and pursued his hobbies – searching out new music, artists and technologies, reading, making his beer from scratch, doing the New York Times crossword and playing Hanafuda and board games (bridge, Go, chess). From his youth onward he was an avid BC Lions and NFL fan.
Stuart was a lifetime member of the Sunshine Coast Legion snooker league. For 15 years he was on the executive and captain of his team, The Lightning.
Friends are invited to remember Stuart’s life and to share stories at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #140, 5591 Wharf Street, Sechelt (604-885-2526) on Sunday, November 16, 2014 at 2:30pm.