Gilford------Douglas Glasgow MacKenzie, 67, longtime resident of San Jose, CA and Gilford, NH, passed away Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma. Throughout the grueling treatment regimen he endured, his impish sense of humor never faltered, and his intelligence, equanimity, generosity, and kindness shone through.
Douglas was born May 24, 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland, son of the late Jean and Alice Mae (Glasgow) MacKenzie. Doug grew up in Baltimore, graduating in 1967 from Baltimore City College high school (where he wrote his first computer program). He graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. degree, where he worked in the campus Computer Center and thus began his 47 year computer career.
Doug served in the Navy for two years, after a short stint in the Navy Reserves. He was stationed at the Washington DC Navy Yard, helping to keep the computers running for the Navy Command Systems during the Vietnam War. After discharge, the Navy hired him full time as a civilian. Doug met his wife, Kaye, there.
Moving to Massachusetts, Doug spent 18 years with Digital Equipment Corporation. He worked in the Network, Storage and PC groups. He was a part of the team that created the DECnet networking architecture (a precursor to the Internet), helped introduce Ethernet to the world, was the Engineering Manager who led the development of the first CDROM, and was Director of Software, PC Division when he left DEC. In California, Doug was Vice President of Engineering for Adaptec, managing groups world-wide (including a group in Nashua, NH) making storage controllers. He then went on to the challenges of several start-ups in Silicon Valley. His last position was at SanDisk, where he was Senior Director of SSD Engineering managing Operations and Project Management. Throughout his career while skilled in both hardware and software technology, he was also proficient in ethically managing the business side and supporting his team members, especially during difficult times.
All his life, Doug appreciated all kinds of music, especially R & B and jazz. As a teenager, he was in several bands and played backup to name acts coming through Baltimore. He was also active in Boy Scouts, achieving Eagle Scout. After college, Doug was a competitive sailor: entering a catamaran in Olympic preliminaries and crewing invarious Chesapeake yacht races and offshore yacht races, including the SORC Nassau and Chicago-Mackinac.
In later years Doug was a dedicated family genealogist, researching his and his wife’s family and helping others to get started in their own research. He competed and instructed at Porsche auto-cross events, driving his cherished Boxster S to the top spots in his class. He started to play keyboard again, taking lessons in jazz piano. While Doug lived many years in California, he felt that his home was on the lake in Gilford, and he returned home as often as he could.
Douglas is survived by his loving family: his wife of 42 years, Kaye (Gugler) MacKenzie of Phoenix, AZ and Gilford, NH; his son, Alex MacKenzie and his wife, Michelle of Easthampton, MA; two grandchildren, Charlotte and Julia MacKenzie; his brother, Kenneth MacKenzie and his wife, Nicole of Seattle, WA; his brother-in-law Kent Gugler and his wife, Mollie of Prescott, AZ ; and one niece and two nephews.
Graveside services will be held Saturday, September 2, 2017 at 10:00am at Bayside Cemetery, Laconia, NH.
In lieu of flowers and for those who wish, the family suggests contributions may be made to the International Myeloma Foundation. Please mail donations in memory of Douglas G. MacKenzie to: International Myeloma Foundation, 12650 Riverside Dr. Suite 206, North Hollywood, CA 91607 or donate online: www.myeloma.org .