Grove City College mourns the passing of its former First Lady LaVonne (Rudolph ’56) Gaiser MacKenzie. “Vonnie” MacKenzie passed away Dec. 25, 2023, while residing at Shenango Presbyterian SeniorCare Community in New Wilmington, Pa. She was 89.
Mrs. MacKenzie, a Grove City native, married Grove City College’s fifth president, the Rev. Dr. Charles Sherrard “Sherry” MacKenzie in 1985. They were married in Harbison Chapel by the late Dr. Richard Morledge ’54, then Dean of the Chapel. Upon Dr. MacKenzie’s retirement from the College in 1991, the couple moved to Florida and its Reformed Theological Seminary before later returning to Pennsylvania. Dr. MacKenzie died in 2017. Mrs. MacKenzie was formerly married to the Rev. William Gaiser ’55 from 1956 until his death in 1980.
Surviving are her daughter Lynne (Fred) Lascheid of Westerville, Ohio, a grandson, and her sister Katherine “Kay” (Rudolph ’58) Wiley, also of Shenango Presbyterian SeniorCare.
A private funeral service will be held at Grace United Methodist Church, Grove City, on Jan. 3, 2024. Memorial contributions may be made to the LaVonne Rudolph MacKenzie Scholarship at Grove City College.
Obituary information: cunninghamfhgc.com.