Don ‘Jingles’ McKenzie remembered

McKenzie, a well known drover, livestock man and clerk of the course, died on Tuesday following a battle with illness.

For over 40 years he was a regular feature at harness racing meetings across the Riverina, acting as clerk of the course for a number of clubs including Wagga, Junee and Coolamon.

He continued the association years after hanging up the stirrups.

Growing up with a drovers lifestyle, horses were always a part of his life but they were not everything.

Brother Mal McKenzie remembers him first and foremost as a family man.

“He was a good, reliable person, workwise, who loved a yarn,” Mal McKenzie said.

“He was a battler, who came from a pretty hard school, reared on the road, but he was a good family man.

“He looked after everyone, had no malice to anyone and tried his best to help people.”

 Don 'Jingles' McKenzie and Donk on duty at Junee in 2011.

While a life of a drover means plenty of time on the road, McKenzie preferred to stick close to home.

“Jingles and my late brother Alan would come out of their way to help me out if I needed a turn, but they did a lot of droving in the Wagga board and didn’t go to far out,” Mal said.

“He was a local bloke who didn’t go away because of his family.”

McKenzie was also well respected among his peers.

“He loved the horses, dogs and had a lot of friends,” Mal said.

“Everyone liked him and he knew a lot of people.”

McKenzie is survived by wife Coral, children Shane, Maree, Karen, Scott and Priscilla and their families.

Funeral details are still being arranged.

By Courtney Rees

Reprinted with permission of The Daily Advertiser