RAYMOND NOEL MACKENZIE

Raymond Noel MacKenzie, 67, passed away on August 28, 2016, at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Ray was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on April 16, 1949 to Kenneth Alexander and Rita Alyse Elizabeth Anne (Moran) MacKenzie. Ray joined the Australian Regular Army at the age of 17 where he received his 1st Class Certificate of Education. He served in the SAS (Special Air Service) until an injury forced him to serve in a different regiment. He served in the 2nd Signal Regiment of the Royal Australian Signals Corps for a tour of duty in Malaysia and two tours of duty in Viet Nam. Upon returning to Australia from overseas duty, Ray was honorably discharged and joined the 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse Regiment as a reservist. Ray loved children and helped with the children’s homes in Viet Nam and upon his discharge from the Australian Regular Army, he continued his education and became a licensed child care worker. Ray worked as a residential child care worker in two different children’s homes in Victoria, Australia, but continued his military interest by becoming an instructor and leader in 32 RCU (Regional Cadet Unit) in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, where he was appointed the rank of Lieutenant. Ray also worked as a security guard and drove trucks for the shire (county). Ray met Connie Marie Arndt from Cooperstown North Dakota through mutual friends when Connie went to Australia to teach in Victoria. Ray proposed and Connie and Ray were married on December 22, 1975. Ray and Connie were blessed with two wonderful children Lance and Michelle. The family moved to Cooperstown in the bad winter of 1996 and 1997. Ray enjoyed reading, writing, conversing, organizing, teaching and sharing his knowledge and had a wonderful quick wit. He will be greatly missed by many and also be remembered for his “G’day.” Ray is survived by his wife, Connie, son, Lance (Terri), granddaughters Cy, Aria and Skyler, Cooperstown, brother Kenneth (Elizabeth) MacKenzie, Mooroolbark, Victoria, Australia, sisters-in-law Avis (Arndt) Rickford, Diana (Paintner)(Arndt) Weber, Laurel (Lee) Arndt, special friend and Australian Army Veteran RD (Huey) (Rhonda) James, Godson Raymond James, several nieces, nephews and cousins in the United States and Australia. Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Rita MacKenzie, his father-in-law and mother-in-law Fred and Irene Arndt, daughter Michelle Ruth, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Stanley and Ione (Arndt) Edland, brother-in-law Glenn Rickford, brother-in-law Elmo Arndt, and brother-in-law Frederick Russell Arndt. A Private Service will be held at a later date.