Irene Odess Mckenzie

Irene Odess McKenzie of La Grande, died peacefully December 11, 2015 at a care facility in Cove. She was 83 years of age. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at Daniels~Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 7th Street. Those who wish may make contributions in her memory to the Dementia organization of their choice.


Irene was born on January 2, 1932, the youngest daughter of James Hammond and Beulah (Clark) Smart in Enigma, Georgia. Her mother, Beulah, died when Irene was only 4 years old. In 1947 she moved to Oregon to be with her sister, Belle. She married Robert Edward Hyde on April 11, 1949 in Winnemucca, Nevada. Of that union, two daughters, Nanette and Valerie, were born. On December 5, 1957 Irene remarried in Lewiston, Idaho to Norman McKenzie. They resided in Enterprise until 1959 when they moved to La Grande. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and bowled on a team in the Nite-Owl Bowling League in La Grande. She enjoyed fishing with her sister, Belle, at various places in the Grande Ronde Valley, and often joined her husband at Wildhorse, Nevada to fish during the summers.


Survivors include her daughter, Nanette Fordice of La Grande; grandchildren, Jennifer Watson of Salem, Justin Fordice of Lacey, Washington and Damon Cervantes of Portland; great grandchildren, Tyler William Watson, Braden James Fordice and Taylor Marie Fordice; and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman; daughter Valerie Hyde and siblings, Samuel Smart, Essie Belle Smart and Willie Lee Smart.

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