Obituary  Eugenia Orthey MacKellar

Alice Eugenia Orthey MacKellar, 96, died at Belaire Center, Newport, VT on June 19, 2024 with her daughter, Peggy and son, Bruce, in attendance.

She was born on May 20, 1928 in Jamaica, Long Island, New York, the daughter of George and Alice (Downer) Orthey. Her childhood was in Rutherford, NJ, with summers in Vermont on the Lake Road, Newport. While her father was commander of the New York City Harbor Entrance Control Post on Staten Island, NY, she graduated from Tottenville (S.I.) High School as valedictorian. She received a Bachelor of Science, pre-med, summa cum laude, from Bethany College, West Virginia and did graduate work at Rutgers University and New York University. After teaching at Bronx High School of Science (NY), she went to Cornell University to carry out research at the College of Veterinary Medicine.

While in Ithaca, Genie first felt her calling to help young people investigate what it means to be a servant of Jesus Christ. She spent 26 years as a Sunday School teacher, youth leader and "Mother Hen" to high school students in every community and the church where she and her husband served.

Genie met her husband, James MacKellar, at the Presbyterian student group at Cornell. They were married in the Methodist (now United) Church in Newport, VT, in August 1955. The wedding reception was on the lawn of "Baybrook", the Orthey family homestead on the shores of Lake Memphremagog. They served Presbyterian churches in Dryden, NY, Waverly, NY, Stirling, NJ and Lyons Falls, NY. In retirement they were faithfully active in the East Craftsbury (VT) Presbyterian Church. Jim predeceased her in 2017.

Genie made flower gardens in each place she lived and continued at "BayBrook" where her extensive plantations were enjoyed by many. From her flower gardens she often supplied floral arrangements for the church. Genie had many pursuits. She painted landscapes, two of which were voted "Best Vermont Landscape" at the state show at Northfield. She did the drawing for the picture on her grave marker in the Lake Road Cemetery. She enthusiastically aided and abetted many family get-togethers by the lake and happily welcomed guests. She restored antiques, spun and knit. Above all, she had a consuming passion for her commitment to raising and training 19 guide dog puppies for the Seeing Eye over 36 years.

Genie is survived by her children, Dr. Ian J. MacKellar, (Rebecca), a veterinarian in Canton, NY; Margaret A. "Peggy" MacKellar (Richard Preis), a dental hygienist in Lake Placid, NY and Dr. Bruce W. MacKellar (Kris Dineen), a family practitioner in Hornell, NY. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Shane and Gavin MacKellar, Katie M. Hart, Avery MacKellar and Kelsey R. MacKellar. Her brother, George, predeceased her.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday September 1, 2024 at the East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to The Seeing Eye, PO Box 375, Morristown, NJ 07963 or East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church, 1097 Ketchum Hill Rd, Craftsbury, VT 05826. On-line condolences are welcome  at curtis-britch.com.  Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home & Cremation Service, locally family owned and operated.