Obituary of Bonnie Blyth MacKenzie

Bonnie MacKenzie died peacefully in her sleep on August 4, 2021 following a struggle with kidney failure.  Bonnie was born on March 24, 1944 in Oregon City, OR to Dorothy (Junor) and Robert Blyth.  She was an only child as she often reminded family and friends.  She began learning Scottish Highland Dancing at the age of 8 and by the time she was 14, opened her own studio in the basement of her childhood home.  In 1967 she married her longtime family friend and love of her life, Colin MacKenzie, who played the bagpipes and even took Highland Dancing from Bonnie.  She moved her studio to downtown Portland while Colin attended Portland State and then in 1972, they moved to Lake Oswego where she eventually moved her dance studio.  Colin and Bonnie have two daughters, Holly and Shona who took Highland Dancing along with hundreds of other students through Bonnie’s 60+ years as a Highland Dance teacher.  She and her students enjoyed many awards and accomplishments during her career and many of her students have gone on to become teachers and carry on the tradition with their own dance studios.  Bonnie is survived by her husband Colin, her daughters Holly Kelly and Shona MacKenzie, her son-in-law Mark Kelly and her two grandsons Torrin and Brennan Kelly.

Bonnie was instantly liked by everyone she met and will be missed by many.  A celebration of life will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to Northwest Kidney Kids nwkidneykids.org