Alex McKenzie - A colleague and career fondly remembered

Eighteen years have passed since Alexander Watson McKenzie died on 6 June 1993, two weeks shy of his official retirement and with over 49 years of service at CSIRO.

Last Tuesday around 40 family members and former colleagues remembered Alexand celebrated his long career with CSIRO at a morning tea at the Ian Wark Laboratories, Clayton.

The event was hosted by Chris Flynn, Deputy Chief, CMSE. Alex's colleagues, Dr. Warren Hewertson, former Chief CSIRO Forest Products spoke of Alex's work with CSIRO and his many scientific achievements (detailed in the CoResearch article below) and Lyn Alexander, former researcher with CSIRO, reflected on working for Alex for six years. This included an unusual science project making large biscuits for wombats affected by drought in the Blue Mountains! Alex's youngest son Ian spoke of his father and what he knew of his career and reminisced that he was very humble about his career and scientific and industrial achievements.

A plaque in Alex's honour was placed in front of an established gum tree in the courtyard at the rear of the Ian Wark Laboratory. The plaque includes a sentimental quote from A.A. Milne, a favourite author of Alex’s: "Wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the forest, a little boy and his Bear will always be playing".

Fifteen of Alex's close Forest Products colleagues attended - Ross Wearne, Ralph Pereira, John Yuritta, Peter Nelson, Kevin Harrington, Frank Phillips, Tony Sioumis, Bob Coutts, Adrian Wallis, Bill Balodis, Goran Langfors, Karen Hands, Lyn Alexander, John Ward and Warren Hewertson. Collectively, the number of years of service with CSIRO from this group of friends totalled over 450 years.

Vale Alexander W. McKenzie

(extract of Obituary from CoResearch 1993)

It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Alex McKenzie on June 6, 1993.

Alexander Watson McKenzie commenced his career with CSIRO on February 1, 1944 as a junior assistant with the Organic Section of the Division of Industrial Chemistry. He joined the Division of Forest Products as a technical officer in 1953 to work on analytical methods in wood chemistry.

Alex completed an Associate Diploma in Applied Chemistry in 1949, was an early member of the Australian Pulp and Paper Industry Technical Association (APPITA) and was admitted to the Royal Australian Chemical Institute in 1950.

During his early years with the Division Alex showed his had a distinct flair for laboratory techniques and he contributed towards the design of experiments and the interpretation of results in a manner beyond that normally demanded of a person at his level. Alex progressed to the senior experimental scientist ranks through his work on the chemical and structural factors influencing the properties of paper.

In 1978 Alex was reclassified to Principal Research Scientist in recognition of his work as a leading authority in paper science and technology. At this time it was widely acknowledged that apart from his research achievements and technological insight, Alex's wide and deep understanding of the pulp and paper and allied industries was of the greatest value to the Division in its relationship with industry and other outside bodies. Over the years Alex has had major responsibilities within the areas of papermaking and testing, wood and pulp chemistry, and microscopy, including the scanning electron micrograph.

Alex was elected President of APPITA in 1976 and occupied various other APPITA posts with distinction, including the chairmanship of committees and technical groups and the editorship of the APPITA journal. The APPITA Executive announced Alex's award as Honorary Life Member in May. He has also been deeply involved in the activities of the Standards Association of Australia.

Alex was always a great supporter of the Division and over the years had been a member of both the Social Club and the Christmas Revue Committee.

Alex was due to retire on the 25th of this month. Although we were to miss him as a staff member on that day, his untimely death means the Division of Forest Products and the Wark Laboratories have lost a dedicated and enthusiastic staff member and friend. He will be sadly missed by his friends and colleagues throughout the Organisation and the pulp and paper industry. Our thoughts are with Alex’s family at this time.