Alexander Randell McKechnie passed away on Saturday, January 23, 2016 in Cockeysville, MD. He was born in Tokyo, Japan, on February 8, 1925 to the Reverend Alec and Dorothy McKechnie of Great Neck, NY. After spending his first four years in Japan with his parents on mission, he returned to Great Neck which he considered his boyhood home.
Mr. McKechnie enlisted into the US Army in 13 April 1943, was discharged on 26 May 1944 at the convenience of the government and was Commissioned on 27 May 1944 as a 2nd Lieutenant (at the age of 19), discharged on 3 June 1947 and appointed as Captain in the US Army Reserve. He assisted in the solution of cryptographic systems with a knowledge of foreign language. He assisted in the reorientation of specially selected Japanese prisoners of war with presentations of American methods of government and all phases of American life. He received the World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Service medal, American Campaign Medal and the Army of Occupation medal (Japan).
After his discharge he returned to Kenyon College and graduated in 1950. He served in the Signal Corps in Korea and attained the rank of Major, retiring from the US Army Reserve in 1967. Mr. McKechnie worked as an intelligence linguist. He retired in 1990 with 41 years of Federal service.
Mr. McKechnie was a perpetual and persistent student with a passion for learning and languages. He devoted much of his later years to the study of the New Testament in ancient Greek; and to travel, including the southwestern United States where he developed admiration for the landscape and Native American culture. He had a strong devotion to his faith, organizing and performing Vespers prayer services as a lay minister at his retirement home; and in demonstration of service as a volunteer at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center. Mr. McKechnie was consecrated to the St. Demetrius Greek Orthodox Church in 1995 and was also an Oblate of the Order of St. Benedict at Mount Saviour Monastery in Pine City, NY. He enjoyed art, books, classical music, fine food, and the prospect of sipping a Manhattan over intellectual conversation with friends and family.
Mr. McKechnie is predeceased by his beloved wife of 36 years, Virginia Tomlinson McKechnie. He is survived by his first wife, Rosemary Jenkins Lareau and their four children, Ian McKechnie of Omaha, NE; Dr. Nikki Austin and her husband Hugh, of Towanda, PA; Steven McKechnie and his wife Janet, of Fairfax, VA; and Timothy McKechnie and his wife Cheri, of Huntsville, AL. He is also survived by granddaughter Allyson McKechnie; and grandsons Taylor McKechnie, Wilson McKechnie, Jason McKechnie, Matthew McKechnie, and Mason McKechnie; stepsons Andrew Tomlinson of Baltimore, MD; Dr. Craig Tomlinson and his wife Dr. Raquel DeRosa, of New York, NY and their children, Daniel Tomlinson, William Tomlinson, and Matthew Tomlinson. He is predeceased by grandson, Carter McKechnie.
