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Memorial Keepers(1)
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Alexander McCormick
Barbara Ann MacKenzie McCormick
April 2nd, 1922 - November 6th, 2023
April 2nd, 1922 - November 6th, 2023
Barbara Ann MacKenzie McCormick was raised by her parents, Alexander and Lula MacKenzie, in Braintree, Massachusetts with her elder brothers Russell and David. After high school, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in modeling and acting. Her first marriage (to Harold Winston) ended in divorce. She met her future husband Myron McCormick while both were performing in summer stock in Indianapolis. They married in 1956 and made their home on New York's upper west side. Their only child, Alexander Cassius McCormick, was born in 1958.
After Myron's untimely death in 1962, Barbara took a job at Lord & Taylor as manager of the employee library(!). This was the first of a series of department store jobs that enabled her to send Alex to private school and spend summers with him on Cape Cod. At the end of each school year, she would quit her job, rent out the furnished apartment for the summer, and take Alex (and various pets) to the MacKenzie summer home on Cape Cod. At the end of the summer they returned to New York, where Barbara would find a new job (Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Elizabeth Arden...) and Alex would resume school.
Raising her son as a single mother in New York yet still deeply in love with Myron, Barbara devoted her life to Alex and to telling him all about his father. She never remarrried.
In her later years, Barbara lived with Alex and his wife Judy in Bloomington, Indiana. After her 100th birthday she moved into assisted living, first in Bloomington then Santa Fe when Alex and Judy settled there for retirement.
Barbara was a devoted Christian Scientist, living to 101 without doctors or medical intervention. She exuded optimism and a positive attitude that no doubt contributed to her longevity. Memorial gifts can be made to the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston (link below).
Barbara was much loved by family members, friends, and neighbors. She leaves an enduring, beautiful legacy of love and kindness.
Alex interviewed his mother for StoryCorps in 2017. The audio file is available at: https://tinyurl.com/BMcC-memorial (copy the URL and paste it into your browser)
Navigate to "Mementos" for photos of Barbara over the years.
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Tributes
Share a favorite memory, send condolences, and honor Barbara’s life with a heartfelt message.
Jennifer Mauldin
I first connected with Barbara when Peter and I visited her home with Alex and Judy in Bloomington. She was delighted to learn that I was actually interested in her stories about 1950’s New York-the theater, the clubs, and all the things I had read about but had never met anyone that was actually there. We always looked forward to visiting her in Bloomington and our trip with her to Scotland is one of our most cherished memories.
Alexander McCormick
Here's an anecdote that says something about Mom as a kind, generous, and caring person. I don't recall how old I was--probably pre-teen or early teens--but one day while walking home from work, Mom encountered a young woman alone, sobbing, and very distraught. I don't remember the circumstances, but she brought the young woman home. She ended up staying with us for several days, possibly a week or more, sleeping on the couch. I don't recall whether she ate with us but she probably did.
Julie Duff
Beautiful. What a special person who was clearly much loved by her son and daughter in law! How lucky she was to have you both. xo
Kerri Mackenzie (Fay) Eck
My Great Auntie Barbara was so special to me. My mother Sharon MacKenzie would bring us to the Cape House in West Harwich every summer for a couple of weeks. What a thrill it was to visit our MacKenzie relatives! Auntie Barbara was always the first to greet us with her beaming smile and warm hugs. My sisters and I would practice our gymnastics in the back yard and Barbara would join us showing off her splits and cartwheels! We were amazed at her flexibility and her desire to participate! Barbara was always laughing and it was joyful and beautifully melodic. Her voice had a singsong quality that would rise and fall - I could listen to her all day! She was enthusiastic and positive and always interested in what we were all doing with our lives. Barbara found beauty in nature and shared her love of gardening with me. There were always things blooming in the yard and cut flowers inside the cottage. Auntie Barbara had a zest for life that was so contagious and brought smiles to all in her company. I was so blessed and enriched to have this special person in my life.
Helene Venizelos
Barbara was one of my mom’s closest friends. For many. many years we lived in the same building in NYC when I was growing up. She and my mom enjoyed regular phone calls after Barbara moved out of the city, keeping up on all the family news. I especially enjoyed visiting her in California when she lived there, taking in some of the sites in San Francisco with her. Barbara was a lovely lady who always found the good in people and she made me feel special whenever we spoke. Staying in touch with her all these years made me feel the presence of my mom, even though she passed many years ago. I will miss her.
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