Carol Sue McKenzie

Carol Sue Witt was born to Wilson and Vivian Witt on February 27, 1945, in Des Moines, IA. After three years in Dallas and seven years in Los Angeles, the family returned to Des Moines where she graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1962. She attended Oklahoma State College in Stillwater, OK where she met and married Joe McKenzie. They moved to Riverside, and then Ridgecrest, CA where they raised their son and daughter.

Carol Sue taught Suzuki violin lessons in her home for 40 years, and she and Joe played in the Desert Community Orchestra for 42 years. They enjoyed summer trips to Mammoth Lakes, California where they performed in the Eastern Sierra Symphony and enjoyed Mammoth’s beautiful lake hiking trails. After Joe’s death in 2017, Carol Sue moved to Mesa, Arizona in 2019, enjoying yoga classes, daily swimming and walking, playing games, attending orchestra concerts and Hale Theatre productions, and spending quality time with her family.

She contributed practically and financially to her Christian Science branch churches in Ridgecrest, and then in Tempe, AZ. She was also a generous supporter of local orchestras. Although she retired from violin teaching when leaving Ridgecrest, she continued to share her musical talents. She played in the Desert Darlin’s Ensemble until it disbanded during Covid. She joined the Mesa New Horizons Orchestra, which her daughter, Bonnie, conducts, to serve as a 2nd violin mentor. Along with her sister, Judy, and Bonnie, she performed with the Family and Friends Ensemble, a group of musicians who perform for fun, usually at Fountain of the Sun retirement community. She was always an inspiration and encourager to the other musicians. In addition to her devotion to church and music, she was also known for her common sense, practicality, delicious baked goods, annual McKenzie family Christmas Sings, and her love of cats.

She passed away on March 16, 2026. She will be greatly missed by her sister Judy Knox, son Steve McKenzie (Jodi), daughter Bonnie Roesch (Jon), their families, including five grandchildren, and by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to either of the following organizations:

Metropolitan Youth Symphony of Arizona - visit www.azmys.org and click on “Support MYS,” or email [email protected] for giving information.

Sounds Academy – visit their website to donate https://www.soundsacademy.org/donations/, or text "Carol" to 855-525-3208 to get to the page.