On Friday, September 29, 2023, Ronal (Ron) Clarence McKenzie, husband of Jan (dec), father of Susan, Stuart (dec), and Libby, passed away aged 92 years.
Ron was born in Quirindi on July 27, 1931, to Clarence William (dec) and Clarice Olive (dec) McKenzie, a brother for Bruce (dec) and younger sister Morna.
Life began for the family in a cottage on a property called ‘Fintona’, situated 20 miles from Quirindi.
Clarence acquired ‘Fintona’ when the family farm ‘Mooki Springs’ was split up between his brothers.
The family lived a life typical of those days with caring, hard-working parents on the land.
Ron and Bruce could always be found sitting in the back of the ute ‘helping’ their father on the farm.
When Ron was six-years-old, he started primary school four miles away in the village of Pine Ridge.
There were around 20 pupils attending the school, and Ron, like most of them, would ride his horse to school.
Ron’s horse, a small chestnut pony rather feistier than his counterparts, would put on show outside the school by shying and bolting away.
Needless to say, all the kids looked forward to a repeat of this show every day.
Ron later went into Quirindi for what they called at the time intermediate schooling, where he boarded with a lady who housed other young boys.
As it was too far for his father to come and pick him up when weekends came along, Ron used to catch a ride on a carrier truck which went past his gate.
The only downside of this arrangement was that the carrier driver never wanted to leave Quirindi until the pub shut at 6pm, so Ron would spend many a cold night in the back of the truck patiently waiting to get home.
Secondary school took place in Sydney, at Scots College, and Ron enjoyed his time there, joining the Pipe Band who performed at various functions.
Playing the bagpipes soon became a life-long love.
Ron would play the bagpipes at weddings held in the Scots Chapel.
The band always played at Anzac marches and for these events proudly wore the Black Watch tartan.
During school days Ron also tried his hand at rugby.
Having never played before, Ron gradually made his way into third grade.
Academically, Ron took a strong liking to mathematics and geology, which were two subjects in which he achieved high marks with honours.
Looking back, Ron had many fond memories of his time at Scots College, and over the years attended Scots Old Boys functions whenever he could.
Ron was especially touched when the old Scots boys in the district got together and celebrated his 90th birthday at the Tourist Hotel.
Ron began his career in 1949 with a four-year term surveying under articles with a surveying firm in Muswellbrook.
In January 1953 he completed the final written and oral exams run by the Board of Surveyors, and upon passing with flying colours, Ron became a registered surveyor.
Spending seven years working for the surveyors in Muswellbrook, during this time Ron travelled all over NSW and as far north as the Queensland border.
Later finishing his employment at Muswellbrook, Ron embarked upon a short stint at a Port Macquarie firm, but upon discovering that his brother Bruce had broken his leg, Ron promptly left and went back to help out on the family farm.
It was two years before Bruce’s leg fully healed and Ron left the farm, heading off to his next project, helping out with a backlog of work at the Gunnedah Shire Council.
Next, Ron moved to Sydney upon landing a job with the Department of the Interior.
The Department of the Interior was an Australian government department that existed between April 1939 and December 1972.
It was the second so-named Australian government department, stewarding public lands and increasing environmental protections.
Whilst in this role, Ron was asked to head to Narrabri for an urgent job.
It was one evening when Ron was enjoying a cool drink at the Clubhouse Hotel with a surveyor pal from Moree, that he discovered some news – that the resident surveyor in Narrabri was likely to leave town.
Ron, having always wanted to start a private practice, kept his ear to the ground and a couple of months later, Ron’s dream was realised when the doors were opened to his own private practice, firstly established in The Courier building before moving to Gallipoli House on Bowen Street.
It was around this time, whilst still working for the Department, that Ron had already met his future bride, Sydney-based registered nurse and midwife Jan Commens, at a 21st birthday party held in Tamworth.
In 1962 an engagement followed, and the couple celebrated their wedding on March 28, 1963.
Once the decision had been made to head north west, the couple moved to Narrabri.
The pair had an old Morris Minor and a Holden ute, and enough survey equipment to commence work in Ron’s new practice.
Two years later, the couple welcomed their first child into the family, a daughter Susan born in 1965, followed by Stuart, born in 1967, and Libby, born in 1969.
Ron and Jan began to make many friends in Narrabri, and Ron always said, out of all the towns he had lived in, he found Narrabri such a friendly place.
The pair immersed themselves into the community and soon became involved in various clubs in the district.
Ron served as an alderman on the Narrabri Municipal Council and was a keen member of Apex before joining Rotary and Probus, serving a term as president of the Narrabri Rotary Club from 1977-78.
During his year as president of Rotary, he organised a student to represent the club as an exchange student in America.
That same year, the club sponsored three students to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership awards.
Ron devoted himself to a busy year as Rotary president with many grants given, a new and larger truck was gifted to the local Rescue Squad, the Narrabri VRA, and a successful fundraiser ball was enjoyed by 200 guests.
Later, Ron was awarded the honour of the prestigious Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellowship.
Ron was passionate about his politics and the future direction of our nation, in particular with regard to rural and regional Australia.
He was a member of the National Party for many decades, and at the time intensely interested in the progress of the inland rail.
A keen rugby advocate, Ron played a part in the committee that founded the Narrabri Blue Boars Rugby Club.
Ron loved his rugby and was still watching Wallabies games and heading over to Dangar Park to see the Blue Boars play home games whenever he could.
A hard-working community member, Ron was popular with everyone who knew him.
He was always volunteering somewhere, and his long list of contributions to the community included the Narrabri Old Gaol, the Tourist Information Centre, the Narrabri Pony Club, the Narrabri Swimming Club, the Historical Society, Probus, the Rotary book sale, and many other Rotary initiatives.
In 1976 local surveyor Ross Gleeson joined Ron’s Surveying practice, and six years later in 1983, the amalgamation was complete when Ross became a partner in the firm.
Later, Ross purchased the surveying practice from Ron, who then celebrated the occasion of his retirement in 1995.
Following retirement, Ron and Jan were able to enjoy overseas trips, concentrating particularly on countries relating to their family history, and the couple set off on travels to England, Scotland, France, Canada, New Zealand, and Turkey.
In addition to overseas travels, purchasing a caravan and travelling around Australia was an absolute highlight of Ron and Jan’s life.
Not long after their return from one such trip, the couple casually told their family an alarming story of how they picked up a hitchhiker in WA.
After travelling with them for a while, it was only when the newcomer started helping himself to Ron’s whiskey that they sent him on his way.
In 2014, when Ron was 83, the couple decided to sell the farm and build a house in Narrabri.
Making their new home in town, Ron set about planting his beloved citrus trees and loved his daily ritual of taking the family dog, Rosie, out for her daily walk.
The pair enjoyed many Probus bus trips and enjoyed travelling to see family in Kenilworth and Sydney.
Life was slower these days, but Ron still enjoyed being involved in community groups and volunteering where he could.
When Jan sadly passed away in February 2021, Ron continued to live in the house until the decision was made to move to Whiddon residential care.
He was able to fill his days enjoying trips into town for coffee and lunches, reading the daily paper, completing sudokus, playing solitaire on the computer, and, as an avid Slim Dusty fan, listening to Australian country and western music on the radio.
Ron loved his regular Friday morning trip for coffees, enabling him to catch up on news around town and connect with lifelong friends.
A man of fine standing and a true gentleman dedicated to the community, Ron lived a long and happy life.
He touched the lives of many and was a valued mentor.
Ron is survived by his daughters Susan and Libby and their families. brother Bruce (dec).
