John C. Mackie, 87, of Warrenton, VA and Jupiter died Wednesday, March 5 at his home in Warrenton. He was born in Toronto and immigrated to Detroit with his parents in 1924. He was elected to the 89th Congress from Michigan in 1964, at which time he moved to Warrenton, VA, with his family, where he raised registered quarter horses and polled Hereford cattle.

He founded the Flint Surveying & Engineering Company in 1952.

After leaving Congress, he established Mackie Engineering in Lexington, KY and Charlottesville, VA. He also served as Executive vice president of Frankland & Lienhard Consulting Engineers in New York City, where he directed the firm's operations in managing transportation and municipal engineering fields, freeways, expressways, bridges, environmental engineering projects, and dam and reservoir engineering.

He served in the Army Air Forces in the Pacific Theater from 1942-1945 during World War II.

In 1957 he became the nation's only elected state highway commissioner and won reelection in 1961. Under his administration, the freeway and expressway system in Michigan was expanded, leading the nation in construction of its interstate highway system. Under his leadership, Michigan was the first to build a cross-state interstate freeway, Interstate 94, and to establish the first highway exit numbering system in the country. The welcome center in Clare, MI is named in his honor.

He received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Michigan State University in 1942 and an honorary LL.D. from MSU in 1965 along with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at MSU.

In 1963, he was elected president of the American Association of State Highway Officials and played a major role in efforts to improve and expand the nation's highway system.

Wife: Kathleen Flood Mackie
Daughters: Virginia Anne Burhans, Margaret M. Sanders and Lora Jane Mackie
Son-in-law: Warren Lee Jenkins
3 grandsons

SOURCE: TCPalm.com on 3/12/2008

John C. Mackie, 87, of Warrenton, VA and Jupiter died Wednesday, March 5 at his home in Warrenton. He was born in Toronto and immigrated to Detroit with his parents in 1924. He was elected to the 89th Congress from Michigan in 1964, at which time he moved to Warrenton, VA, with his family, where he raised registered quarter horses and polled Hereford cattle.

He founded the Flint Surveying & Engineering Company in 1952.

After leaving Congress, he established Mackie Engineering in Lexington, KY and Charlottesville, VA. He also served as Executive vice president of Frankland & Lienhard Consulting Engineers in New York City, where he directed the firm's operations in managing transportation and municipal engineering fields, freeways, expressways, bridges, environmental engineering projects, and dam and reservoir engineering.

He served in the Army Air Forces in the Pacific Theater from 1942-1945 during World War II.

In 1957 he became the nation's only elected state highway commissioner and won reelection in 1961. Under his administration, the freeway and expressway system in Michigan was expanded, leading the nation in construction of its interstate highway system. Under his leadership, Michigan was the first to build a cross-state interstate freeway, Interstate 94, and to establish the first highway exit numbering system in the country. The welcome center in Clare, MI is named in his honor.

He received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Michigan State University in 1942 and an honorary LL.D. from MSU in 1965 along with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at MSU.

In 1963, he was elected president of the American Association of State Highway Officials and played a major role in efforts to improve and expand the nation's highway system.

Wife: Kathleen Flood Mackie
Daughters: Virginia Anne Burhans, Margaret M. Sanders and Lora Jane Mackie
Son-in-law: Warren Lee Jenkins
3 grandsons

SOURCE: TCPalm.com on 3/12/2008