On the evening of April 7th, 2021, at his residence in Vancouver, BC, Gregory MacKenzie passed away unexpectedly with his wife, Regina (Gina) MacKenzie, by his side, at the age of 68.
Predeceased by his parents Murray and Gwen MacKenzie, brother Roderick, and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, John and Carol Bianchin.
He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Gina, his daughter Jessica (Scott), his sisters Joan and Gail, brother Don (Anna), sister-in-law Lou, brothers-in-law Michael (Pamela), Raymond (Akemi), Stephen, sister-in-law Angela, and many nieces and nephews.
Born on April 1st, 1953, in Vanderhoof, BC, Greg spent his childhood exploring British Columbia. In his youth he lived in Naksup, Roberts Creek, Kamloops and Burma. He always loved the thrill of travelling spur of the moment and would look back fondly on his family trips and time spent experiencing other cultures. This spawned a passion for him, where he had the great fortune to visit Asia and Europe throughout adulthood.
He was always skilled in working with his hands. Throughout his career in construction and carpentry he led various crews through challenging projects, ultimately creating bonds with certain team members that have lasted a lifetime.
He met Regina in Kamloops in 1975 while they were both members of a wedding party. Married in 1976, they ultimately settled in Vancouver where they raised Jessica. Greg always wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to family. He was immensely proud of being able to share in and witness their accomplishments. He would recount stories from his childhood about his parents and siblings, ensuring that those memories were not forgotten. It was clear he had a special bond with his daughter, proudly sharing her accomplishments with anyone that would listen. In 2019, Greg welcomed his son-in-law into the family with open arms, treating him as though he were his own.
Greg was a kind, caring, charismatic man with an innate ability to make friends. He never hesitated to strike up a conversation or lend a helping hand to anyone in need. When you were with him, you felt like family, regardless of the relation. He had a big heart, a great laugh, and loved to thrill people with stories from his past.
One of his most cherished moments was finding out that he was going to become a grandfather. He was filled with excitement at the thought of his granddaughter and looked forward to watching her grow up. Greg would have made an exceptional grandfather; it was clear from the start just how much he loved her.
A celebration of life will be held with close friends and family later this summer.
The family extends our appreciation to the wonderful first responders who came to the aid of Greg.
In lieu of flowers, a donation in memory of Greg can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.