Constance Elaine Mckinzie

Obituary

Constance Elaine McKinzie
May 15, 1930 – 
Constance Elaine Bryant McKinzie, 95, of Bakersfield California passed away in her home with family nearby on April 30, 2025.
“Con” was the daughter of Elsa Ingeborg Bryant and William Davis Bryant, born in Providence Rhode Island. Her father Bill was a Lieutenant Commander on submarines through WW1 and WW2, retiring a few years after WW2 to become Head of Marine Transportation for Creole Petroleum in Maracaibo, Venezuela, where she met her husband, Jack. Her mom Elsa was born in Malmo Sweden and strived to become the very best at everything she desired to do. This tenacity passed through to Con who seemed to effortlessly excel at everything she did as well.
Her father was the consummate professional Navy officer, accepting different assignments all over the world. Con has numerous stories about her life moving from station to station and making friends in every state and country the family moved to. Her mother was extremely proud and taught her daughters how to sew and cook and to never become a victim for not having something. Con was able to assure that her family was never to want for anything. She never let lack of resources affect the quality of the gourmet meals she produced every night and the comfortable homes where she designed or made just about everything in them, managing the family operations smoothly like a drill sergeant.
In the late 1960’s, when her children were all in school, Con took advantage of the opening in her schedule and went back to School. She left “William and Mary University” to marry her husband, Jack in 1949, and dedicate herself to raising her family, which turned out to consist of four boys who ate the same quantity as ten normal men. She managed school like everything else she did and seemed to effortlessly complete a “master’s in fine arts” degree after achieving her BA in Spanish and Fine Arts, all in less than 6 years. The most impressive thing was that none of her boys ever even knew she was gone or what challenges she faced to achieve a “master’s in fine art” and graduate at the top of her class as well.
In 1976 Jack and Connie bought property in Etna, California and began construction on a “Cabin in the Woods” for their family. Like everything else Con did, the house was built around her. The design and the constant effort to make the cabin a home were all due to Cons’ tenacity and desire to make the perfect place for her grandkids and family. The result was that she was able to spend real quality time with her grandkids and even with a few of her great grandkids.
Con and Jack enjoyed traveling the world and developed a method they called “toodling,” which meant they would arrive somewhere with only the first night’s reservation secured and the rest of their trip was up in the air. They liked to rent a car and go where the road leads them changing directions when they heard from some local or bar tender that there was something they should go see. Con would take her trusty camera and take pictures of sites and people that interested her, so she could paint them when she returned to her home studio.
Con and Jack were both uniquely suited to each other, which allowed them to survive the rigors of raising a family and enjoying a 64-year marriage.
Those who knew Con, Connie, or granny knew that she was the last of the renaissance women. She was without a doubt the nucleus of the McKinzie Family and everyone who knew her could feel the presence of a uniquely special woman.
Connie is survived by her sons, Stephen McKinzie, and wife Karen (of Mt. Grove, Missouri), Paul McKinzie (of Etna, California), James Mckinzie and wife Shelley (of Bakersfield, California), and Mark McKinzie and wife Eulalia (of Bakersfield, California). Her grandchildren, Geoffrey Mckinzie and wife Tabitha, Travis McKinzie and wife Jen, Denzil McKinzie and wife Eva, Keely Gregorio and husband Brandon, Mitchell McKinzie and wife Jamie, Joseph McKinzie, Daniell Adam and husband Saeed, Clayton McKinzie, and wife Rebecca, Carly McKinzie and husband David. Her great-grandchildren: Walker, Elyse, Caroline, Sophie, Donald, Ciara, Rowan, Fiona, Ayla, Danyal, Haris, Hannah, Constance, all had the opportunity to meet and interact with one of the world’s great ladies.

    

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