Ariel McKenzie, age 101, of Amery Wisconsin passed away on January 4, 2015 at Golden Age Manor.
Ariel was preceded in death by her husband Earl, daughter Marjorie, brother Glenn, and her parents. She is survived by her daughter Sandy, son John (Kathy), grandchildren Andrea (Mike) Belkin, Sarah McKenzie, and Joe (Molly) McKenzie, and three great-children Ethan McKenzie, Grace McKenzie, and Charlotte Ariel McKenzie.
Ariel was born on June 24, 1913 in Luck, Wisconsin to Nancy and J. Edward Benson. She was raised with her brother Glenn on the family farm east of Luck near Bone Lake. She graduated from Luck High School and then the Polk County Teachers College. After a year of teacher training she began her career in education teaching at one room schools in Polk County.
Ariel married Earl McKenzie in 1939. Ariel and Earl lived in Polk County for all but one year spent in southern Wisconsin. They raised their family on their farm near Deer Lake east of St. Croix Falls. Ariel and Earl were long time members of Faith Lutheran Church in Balsam Lake. Ariel continued her education while raising her children and received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She taught school for many more years at Wagon Landing, Range, Forest Lake, MN and Scandia, MN before retiring in 1975.
Ariel continued to live on the family farm for several years after Earl passed away in 1986. She moved to the Evergreen Village Apartments in Amery in 1996 and about 10 years later moved to Golden Age Manor, where she currently lived.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 9th at 11:00 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Balsam Lake. Visitation will be the hour preceding the service at the church. Burial will be at the McKenzie family plot at the Balsam Lake Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Golden Age Manor of Amery, Wisconsin.