Glenna Bowman MacKenzie

The staff at Heishman Funeral Home Inc. sends condolences to the family of Glenna Bowman MacKenzie. Glenna Bowman MacKenzie, who genuinely saw the best in others, left the world suddenly on January 17, 2023. She was born on June 6, 1952, to Barbara Rudy Bowman and the late Dick Delford Bowman in Woodstock, Virginia. Glenna is survived by her husband and the love of her life, Earle MacKenzie, who she married on July 13, 1974; two children, Heather MacKenzie (husband Mark Higgins) and Alex MacKenzie (wife Nichole); five beloved grandchildren, James and Charlotte Higgins, Maddie and Cory MacKenzie, and Austin Haislip; her mother, Barbara; her two siblings, Sharon Campbell (husband Walter) and Philip Bowman (wife Becky); along with many adored in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Always the smartest person in the room, Glenna graduated as valedictorian from Stonewall Jackson High School in 1970, then attended the College of William & Mary where she graduated with honors as a double major in mathematics and economics. During her time at William & Mary, she was inducted into the honors society Phi Beta Kappa, to which only the top percentage of college juniors and seniors are invited each year. Fully embracing the Phi Beta Kappa motto of “love of learning is the guide of life,” she could most often be found in the campus library. But Glenna found an even greater love at William & Mary: her husband of almost 49 years, Earle. Though she was dating his roommate when they met, Earle convinced her to go on a date with him and they went on to become lifelong companions and soulmates. They married immediately after graduation in the summer of 1974, and after their $400 honeymoon (a road trip through Canada and Earle’s native Maine), Glenna and Earle settled in the Washington, D.C. area where Glenna started teaching high school advanced math and Earle began his corporate career. Though she was only a few years older than her students, Glenna threw herself into her work, serving as both the coach for the high school drill team and the school’s academic competition team for the televised quiz show, It’s Academic, which is still on the air today. On weekends you could find the young newlywed couple chaperoning high school events and serving as leaders of their church’s youth group. Glenna continued to work after her daughter Heather arrived, balancing a busy schedule of school and new motherhood. After her son Alex was born, Glenna decided to be a full-time mom, but was still leading volunteer groups and church committees with two small children in tow. Ever a devoted partner, Glenna readily moved the family from northern Virginia to the Atlanta area for progression in Earle’s career, throwing herself into building a community through her involvement in church and volunteer work, her kids’ school, neighborhood friends, and Earle’s work community. In 1999, Earle and Glenna moved back to Virginia, first to Charlottesville, then to New Market. Glenna was a committed parent who never missed a music performance, game, rehearsal, or lesson. She (almost) never complained about endlessly shuttling her kids to different school drop-offs, practices, and social functions. Even as her kids got older, Glenna was their first call to help work through problems or get support. One of her kids’ favorite memories is when Mom and Dad would often spontaneously take them out of school for a surprise family vacation to a fun place. Almost equally fun was the inevitable visit to the toy or book store with Mom to make sure the kids had plenty of entertainment for the trip. Glenna eventually went back to work, putting her love of math at the forefront by becoming a tax preparer at H&R Block. Steadily building a loyal following of clients over her 32-year career with the company, Glenna became an Enrolled Agent and also a sought-after tax instructor, spending multiple years teaching for Virginia Tech. Glenna was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church and found a church home wherever she lived, most recently attending Otterbein Chapel iUMC, her childhood church in Mt. Jackson. During her 15 years in the Atlanta area, Glenna acted as the Worship Committee Chairperson at a very large church, devoting her weekends to wrangling everything from acolytes to hymnals to brides (and bridezillas). To know Glenna was to know her love of all things glamorous, elegant, and tasteful. Influenced by her beloved and stylish Aunt Jane, Glenna developed an unparalleled style over her life and never shied from being the most well-dressed person in the room. Naturally, this love of fashion parlayed into a passion for shopping, but just as often as she purchased things for herself, she also generously gifted others with her amazing finds. A true Southern woman, there was no such thing as an “occasion” to Glenna – everything was an Event. She loved nothing more than planning a party and was ever the Master of Ceremonies for countless family gatherings, community events, and charity functions. She stopped at nothing to make every guest feel welcome and included in her home or elsewhere, with extravagant Christmas gatherings with family being her favorite of all. She was thrilled that she was able to have her entire extended family by her side just a few weeks ago, and said that this Christmas was one of the best yet. Glenna was a passionate lover of music and an accomplished pianist and vocalist. She sang in the William & Mary choir for four years (famously alongside actress Glenn Close), then went on to perform musically her entire life in church and other ensembles. Glenna enjoyed music in less formal settings as well – singing in the car, attending the latest musical theater performance or concert, or trying to get the family rallied for a music-centric home talent show. With the music department in mind, she even founded a scholarship honoring her father at his alma mater, Shenandoah University, which will be further funded at her death. Glenna was an ally to all animals throughout her life and was arguably the best pet parent on the planet. She would ask Earle to stop the car when driving by the “animals” they passed on the road, concerned for their livelihood, even when those animals turned out to be, well, pieces of tire. Many lucky dogs and cats were adopted by Glenna and Earle over the years and endlessly pampered throughout their lives. Glenna was recently saddened at the passing of her best girl Hoover the dog in late November. Before illness lessened her ability to travel, Glenna was an enthusiastic trip-goer, with a positive, can-do attitude about the destination no matter how unappealing it may have been to her. During their first year of marriage, Glenna skeptically went on multiple camping trips with her Boy Scout husband. (They pointedly elected to not camp again after that first year.) However, they enjoyed dozens of other trips (with hotel stays only) around the country and the Caribbean together, with Glenna’s all-time favorite destination being the Princess Hotel in Hamilton, Bermuda. For more than the last decade, Glenna battled progressively debilitating chronic illness. Ever the trooper, Glenna powered through debilitating pain at work and with family and friends – so much so that many people in her life had no idea how much she was suffering. In the last several years, her illness curtailed her ability to independently travel or walk, making her almost completely dependent on Earle, which caused her a great deal of anguish. In her life, Glenna’s greatest joy was her family. Forever quick to forgive and quick to love, Glenna was the glue that led everyone to gather and bond. Even when she lived 10 hours away from her extended family, Glenna and Earle would travel the distance several times a year so everyone could be together. Glenna and Earle’s homes inevitably became the central place for everyone to share a meal or a holiday and know they would always be welcomed with a warm meal and a warm heart. We will forever miss our family’s true center. Glenna, there is no pain anymore. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 28, at 2 p.m. at Heishman Funeral Home, 14116 South Middle Road, Edinburg, Virginia, with a reception to follow at the Yellow Barn at Shenandoah Caverns. For those who can’t attend the service, there will be a visitation on Friday, January 27, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Heishman’s. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Glenna's honor to the Humane Society of Shenandoah County (www.hsscva.org). Online condolences may be left at www.valleyfs.com Arrangements by Heishman Funeral Home Inc., Valley Funeral Service Branch, Edinburg.

Glenna Bowman MacKenzie

June 6, 1952 - January 17, 2023