Help in tracking a glamorous couple in a glamorous era from London to Canada

[Josephine]

Edmonton Journal
Sat., Oct. 23, 1948

"Alexander Robert McKenzie

"Funeral services for the late Alexander Robert McKenzie, former Postmaster at Edmonton, were held on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 1948, from the Funeral Parlors of Howard and McBride, the Rev. Canon W. M. Nainby officiating. Immediate mourners were his wife, Mrs. Beatrice McKenzie...

"The pallbearers were... All these are members of the Letter Carrier Staff of the Edmonton Post Office who had been in the Postal Service for many years and had been closely associated with the deceased. Interment was made in the Soldiers' Plot in the Edmonton Cemetery, and a Masonic service was given by Edmonton Lodge No. 7, A.F. and A.M. at the graveside. Many beautiful floral tributes were received from: Loving wife, Beatrice... The deceased is survived by his wife, Mrs. Beatrice McKenzie, 3 sisters, Mrs. Gerald Wyneken and Miss Ada McKenzie, both of Evanston, Illinois; Mrs. Dollene Rummell, Oxnard, California, and William McKenzie of Victoria, B.C."

[Note: I haven't included lists of names in case any of those people are still alive. I'm assuming A. McKenzie's siblings are deceased.]

[Josephine]

Edmonton Journal
Friday, July 13, 1990

"McKenzie, Beatrice Louise

"On July 11, 1990, Mrs. Beatrice Louise McKenzie of Edmonton, passed away at the age of 104 years.

"She is survived by one niece...

"Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 17 at 10:00 a.m. at the Foster and McGarvey Funeral Chapel, 10008 103 Street. Reverend Doug Carr will officiate and interment will take place in the Beechmount Cemetery. Foster and McGarvey Limited. Funeral Directors and Licensed Crematorium..."

[Note: I've omitted the niece's name, in case she is still alive, but she is named in the obit. I've also omitted the funeral home's phone number.]

[Josephine]

I can't find any articles about her having a singing career or them doing anything glamorous. That doesn't mean it didn't happen, though.

Do you have her marriage record? Does it list an occupation for her?

Liverpool Echo
Nov. 26, 1915

"McKenzie-Smythe -- November 18, at Walworth, London, by special licence, A. R. McKenzie, Canadian  Expeditionary Force, to Beatrice Smythe, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Smythe, Egremont, Cheshire."

[shiney19]

Hello Everyone - Newbie Here
Tornado the person who posted with message is my newly found wonderful cousin who has kindly offered to help solve the family mystery of my Great Aunt Louisa Beatrice McKenzie (nee Smythe).

Thanks so much for all you wonderful folks who have responded and given me more information than I have gathered in 10 years of searching in just a few hours.

Let me try and explain my reasoning for finding out about Bea.

I never knew that Great Aunt Bea even existed - No reason why but in 1993 my Father and his siblings received a letter from a chap who said that Aunt Bea who was also his Great Aunt  had died in 1990 aged 104 and had left a fortune that the Nursing Home that she was living in before her death was claiming this fortune.  He had spent a couple of years contesting the will and of course this had cost him and his mother a lot of money.  He was asking my Father and other family members to contribute in his fight to do this.  My father agreed on behalf of the family and contributed but the chap came back again.  My Father did not donate again. I have had confirmed that the Great Nephew was legit but would love to know how Great Aunt Bea became allegedly so wealthy.  It was said that her husband Alexander McKenzie was the Postmaster General of Canada a myth that you wonderful guys have dismissed. I have been wondering if Alexander' Mother Christina may have had a fortune that Alexander and Bea inherited as his Mother appears to have lived in a very large mansion on Chicago- 3851 Van Buren Street Chicago.  Bea outlived her husband by 42 years so one would have assumed  that her fortune would have diminished considerably? 

Bea and Alexander did visit her family in Wallasey England just after the WWII apparently dressed to kill and showering expensive presents on family members certainly looking the part of a wealthy couple. 

Thanks for reading this monologue.  Any help on getting to the bottom of this mystery would be greatly appreciated.

[tornado]

Well , thank you all for this information . It is appreciated and sheds light on this Couple . If there is anymore info please send it on . Best wishes .

[Josephine]

I'm glad I could help. Unfortunately, I'm not having any success finding anything in the newspapers that would reveal their financial status. Maybe someone else will have better luck.

My first thought is that Alexander and Beatrice didn't have any children and he had a good job; maybe they were good with money. It's certainly possible that one or both of them might have inherited money.

Your best bet might be to obtain copies of the relevant wills, if possible.

This website lists the address for enquiries about wills filed in Edmonton, Alberta (for Alexander and Beatrice McKenzie): https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Alberta_Probate_Records

I don't know where Christina McKenzie/MacKenzie's will would have been filed. I can't find an obit for her on Newspapers.com.

You could email the library in Lucknow and ask if they have any local histories that mention Kenneth and Christine/Christina MacKenzie/McKenzie and their family. Sometimes librarians will give you 15 minutes of look-ups for free; they might charge a small fee for additional time spent looking.

You could also ask if they have any obits for them on file, in case some were published locally, even though they had moved away or were living elsewhere when they died.

If they have local newspapers on microfilm, the librarian might be able to check for obits, if you can give him/her the exact dates. Alexander's father Kenneth died 9 April 1905 in Detroit, Michigan.

If any of them left large amounts in their wills, that might have been mentioned in the local newspaper, even after they had moved away.

https://library.brucecounty.on.ca/branch/lucknow/

Good luck in your search!

[dbree]

Hi and Welcome to RC shiney19 

The Van Buren address belonged to Christina's daughter Annie who married Dr. Gerhard
E. Wyneken in 1910 Chicago.

In Jan. 1915 Christina McKenzie, age 58, of Lucknow crosses the border heading to
daughter Mrs. J.E. Wyneken, 3851 Van Buren, Chicago.

Annie is buried with her parents in Lucknow.

Find a Grave, Greenhill Cemetery, Lucknow, Ontario
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115581796/anne-m-wyneken

DB

[shiney19]

Thanks so much for this info it has helped so much.  Just wish I could track how Great Aunt Bea supposedly became so wealthy.  We have a letter dated 1993 written by a great nephew who was contesting the will and was asking for money to help with the fight.  My Dad did find the first time but of course this chap came back again for me and we declined. Would love to know if it was true or just a con

Thanks again

[dbree]

Welcome 

From the obit. that Josephine added, it mentioned survived by one niece. I could see a tidbit of
that obit and the niece was Sybil Coathup 1917 - 1999 died Sidney, British Columbia.
Sybil was nee Howard, daughter of Clarence Howard and Emma Smythe, Beatrice's sister.

Were you aware of her.