Obituary for Mattie McKenzie
Mattie Foster McKenzie was born October 16, 1936, to Ernest and Georgia Foster in Tifton, GA. She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Ernest Foster, Jr,; two sisters, Annie R Collins and Odessa F Hurt; husband of 51 years, Mr. Charles E McKenzie.
Mattie was a graduate of Ballard-Hudson High School in Macon, GA. She was a 1958 graduate of Talladega College, where she earned a B.A. degree in English and was inducted into Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She earned library certification, UTK 1972, and earned a Master of Education degree in administration and supervision, UTC 1974. She taught briefly in the Bibb County, Georgia (Macon, GA) school system before moving with family to Chattanooga, TN. She enjoyed a long career as a teacher, librarian, library supervisor and retired from Chattanooga, Hamilton County schools as supervisor of Instructional Media Services. She was honored as a Golden graduate and received a golden diploma from Talladega in 2008. She was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Chattanooga, TN.
Many affiliations included life membership, Pearl Soror-Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, American Library Association, NEA/TEA/CHCRT, life membership NAACP, Washington Hills Neighborhood Association and the Les Sophisticates Bridge club. She was honored by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority African American Hall of Fame. She was also honored as the Southeastern Legend Soror in Knoxville, TN- February of 2020.
Her survivors include her loving daughter, Carol A McKenzie; brother, Henry E Foster of Dallas, TX; other family members include brother-in-law, William D Hurt, sisters-in-law, Annie R Armour, Mary E Lewis and Lou E Foster. “Adopted kids”, John Nolan, Terrell and Jermaine Borders; nephews, Anthony, Ronald and Andra Taylor, James, Alvin and William Massengill; William McCleskey, Freddie Armour, Eric Lewis, Stanley, Tony, and Vincent McKenzie, Mark and Alvis Collins; nieces, Janice King, Carlette McKenzie, Sharon Scaife. and Alicesa Foster; other family circle members include Dorothy McKenzie, Eric (Celeste) McKenzie, Shavonne Holt, Ronald Taylor, Jr, Terry McKenzie, Carlisha McKenzie, Barbara Shepherd, Jacqueline M Heathington, Evelyn Shropshire Jewell Cousin, MaryJo Gilbert, Grady and Christine Hicks, Fred and Cheryl McCray, Edward and Atheria Freeman, Audra Ingram, Gary and Terryl James, Gwendolyn And Daphne Moore, D'Wanna Young Mann, Terry and Jennifer Woods, and Marilyn B. Brown; many extended family members residing in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, Arizona, and California.
Public viewing will be held 2:00 PM until 6:00 PM Friday, August 5th, 2022 at the funeral home. An 11 AM funeral service will be held on Saturday, August 6, 2022, at John P Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave, 423-622-9995.
Interment: Hamilton Memorial Gardens, Hwy 153 North
Mattie was a graduate of Ballard-Hudson High School in Macon, GA. She was a 1958 graduate of Talladega College, where she earned a B.A. degree in English and was inducted into Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She earned library certification, UTK 1972, and earned a Master of Education degree in administration and supervision, UTC 1974. She taught briefly in the Bibb County, Georgia (Macon, GA) school system before moving with family to Chattanooga, TN. She enjoyed a long career as a teacher, librarian, library supervisor and retired from Chattanooga, Hamilton County schools as supervisor of Instructional Media Services. She was honored as a Golden graduate and received a golden diploma from Talladega in 2008. She was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Chattanooga, TN.
Many affiliations included life membership, Pearl Soror-Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, American Library Association, NEA/TEA/CHCRT, life membership NAACP, Washington Hills Neighborhood Association and the Les Sophisticates Bridge club. She was honored by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority African American Hall of Fame. She was also honored as the Southeastern Legend Soror in Knoxville, TN- February of 2020.
Her survivors include her loving daughter, Carol A McKenzie; brother, Henry E Foster of Dallas, TX; other family members include brother-in-law, William D Hurt, sisters-in-law, Annie R Armour, Mary E Lewis and Lou E Foster. “Adopted kids”, John Nolan, Terrell and Jermaine Borders; nephews, Anthony, Ronald and Andra Taylor, James, Alvin and William Massengill; William McCleskey, Freddie Armour, Eric Lewis, Stanley, Tony, and Vincent McKenzie, Mark and Alvis Collins; nieces, Janice King, Carlette McKenzie, Sharon Scaife. and Alicesa Foster; other family circle members include Dorothy McKenzie, Eric (Celeste) McKenzie, Shavonne Holt, Ronald Taylor, Jr, Terry McKenzie, Carlisha McKenzie, Barbara Shepherd, Jacqueline M Heathington, Evelyn Shropshire Jewell Cousin, MaryJo Gilbert, Grady and Christine Hicks, Fred and Cheryl McCray, Edward and Atheria Freeman, Audra Ingram, Gary and Terryl James, Gwendolyn And Daphne Moore, D'Wanna Young Mann, Terry and Jennifer Woods, and Marilyn B. Brown; many extended family members residing in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, Arizona, and California.
Public viewing will be held 2:00 PM until 6:00 PM Friday, August 5th, 2022 at the funeral home. An 11 AM funeral service will be held on Saturday, August 6, 2022, at John P Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave, 423-622-9995.
Interment: Hamilton Memorial Gardens, Hwy 153 North