PORT TOWNSEND— Andy Mackie, the former Quilcene “music man” who is credited with changing the scope of music education on the North Olympic Peninsula, is extremely ill in Michigan, according to one of his closest friends.
“We are losing him,” said Jack Reid, a musician who has often shared the stage with Mackie.
“He had a series of strokes, his organs are shutting down and he is in and out of consciousness.”
Reid sent messages to a distribution list late last week saying that Mackie “might not make it through the night,” but Mackie rallied Thursday night.
One of his children reported Monday night that Mackie appeared to have suffered another stroke, but not as severe as one last week.
A Facebook page sponsored by the Andy Mackie Music Foundation — http://tinyurl.com/pdnmackie — has become a bulletin board where well-wishers can leave messages for Andy and his family, which is at his bedside in a hospital located in Jerome, Mich.
Mackie, a native of Scotland, established the music foundation in East Jefferson County in 1996 and operated it as a channel for kids to learn and acquire instruments.
He moved to Michigan in September 2010 to be closer to his family, so they could care for him.
He last visited Port Townsend in May, at which time he met old friends and performed several times.
In earlier days, he showed children how to make “strum sticks,” passed out harmonicas and taught hundreds of children how to play a tune, many of them for the first time.
In 2005 at the Seattle Folklife Festival, he led the simultaneous playing of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” with 1,706 harmonica players to set a Guinness World Record.
Mackie had been through several procedures, including open heart surgery, and has been in ill health for several years.
Even so, he continued to teach and perform.
The comments on the foundation’s Facebook site demonstrated Mackie’s impact on local children, their parents and children who have become parents, and how Mackie’s small generosities were remembered for years.
“When you want to remember something from a long time ago, think back to Robin and Louie’s at the old post office — and playing ‘Happy Birthday’ on your harmonica as you were walking down the trail,” wrote Shannon Lowrie, a teacher in the Chimacum School District.
“Andy, you might not remember me, but you taught my second-grade class how to play the harmonica,” wrote Heather Claybourn of Port Ludlow.
“I was in Mrs. Miller’s class. I remember you coming in and playing with us. I always saw you around the school and how nice you were to everyone.”
Reid wrote a song for Mackie, “Angels Walk Among Us,” which lauds Mackie for “teaching what it means to use the gifts you’re given so that others might succeed.”
Reid posted the song to YouTube on Friday, and it is viewable at http://tinyurl.com/pdnandysong.
“This is a sad time,” Reid said.
“We are grateful for the time he was with us, but are grateful that his chest pains will finally be over.”
Reid said Mackie has had a tremendous impact on local music education.
“Any child that has come in contact with Andy has gone away with a gift that will be with them for the rest of their lives,” he said.
Reid said that Mackie is with his family, which includes two daughters and several grandchildren.
Those who want to leave messages to Mackie can log on to Facebook and “like” the Andy Mackie Music Foundation page in order to leave a comment, or send cards or letters to Andy Mackie, 1425 N. Concord Rd., Concord, MI 49237.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
