Joseph (Joe) Ray McKenzie passed away on January 6, 2021 due to complications of COVID19.  Joe was the beloved husband of Susan Riley McKenzie and loving father of Joshua Ray McKenzie and Caitlin Rose McKenzie, loving son of Florencia Koger and Ernest Ray McKenzie, much-loved brother of Marie McKenzie Sokoloff, brother-in-law of Dr. Alan Sokoloff, and the Riley and Rose families.  Uncle, cousin, brother-in-arms, teacher, soccer coach, mentor to his students at Eisenhower High School and a friend to many, Joe was born on February 5, 1961 in Pirmasens, Germany.  Joe attended Lawton Public Schools graduating from Eisenhower High School with an appointment to West Point where he received his degree and commissioned into the Army as a second lieutenant.  He was assigned as an infantry platoon leader and held different assignments over a seven-year period to include company command.  After nine years of active-duty service, Joe went into the Army Reserves and later the Georgia National Guard where he continued in command and staff positions for an additional six years.  His more notable deployments during this period included two tours in Bosnia as part of the peacekeeping and election monitoring force and later at the Pentagon in the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Weapons of Mass Destruction Department under the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.

After his active-duty service, Joe accepted a teaching assignment in Georgia and resided there with his former wife Kathleen and their two children.  On December 28th, 2012 Joe and his current wife, Susan were married and relocated back to Lawton where Joe accepted a teaching position at Eisenhower High School.  Joe was highly involved in his church and his community especially within the Knights of Columbus where he achieved the rank of 4th degree.  Joe was dearly loved and will be deeply missed.

In remembrance of Joe, a wake service will be held at Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel, Lawton, Oklahoma on Thursday, January 21st at 6:00pm.  A funeral Mass will be on Friday, January 22nd at 9:30 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with Rev. John Paul Lewis, Pastor officiating.

Burial with military honors will follow at Fort Sill National Cemetery in Elgin.

The Mass may be viewed by following the Livestream link at www.beckerfuneral.com or by visiting the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Eisenhower High School with "Boys Soccer Team" in the memo line.  A future endowment scholarship fund is being established in Joe's name for families of military high school graduates.  The family has asked that face coverings be worn during all services.