Burton L. KINNEY

KINNEY, Burton L. KINNEY, Margie D. Burton Louis Kinney, 94, formerly of Chicago and Danville, IL passed away January 1, 2016 at an adult care home in Tucson, AZ due to complications with diabetes. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Margie Boston Kinney, on June 27, 2015. She had served as a secretary to a vice president of Montgomery Ward Co. for 25 years. Burton was born on September 14, 1921, in Peoria, IL., the first of three sons of John and Ethel Kinney. When he was nine years old, the family moved to Danville, IL where he attended public schools and in 1939 graduated from Danville High School. His first job was in a machine shop where he continued learning various technical machine skills as an apprentice tool and die maker. Eighteen months after high school graduation he was inducted into the U.S. Army Air Corps where he served until separation 28 months later. He was trained as an Air Corps airplane and engine mechanic at the service's school in San Bernardino, CA. He served overseas in a combat zone near Papua, New Guinea at an advanced air base that became the subject of frequent nighttime bombings by Japanese bombers based at Rabaul, Papua, New Guinea. He was honorably discharged from the service in March 1946. In later years, he and his wife took flying lessons and became licensed private pilots with his wife becoming an instructor pilot. His interest in science and biology led him to enroll at Wright Junior College, Chicago where he took many classes while he worked in cargo operations for American Airlines, a job he held for 20 years until his retirement. His science interests led him to help a sixth-grade science teacher and his students at a local Tucson school by supplying each child with a telescope. He followed and helped a number of those children through high school and a few on into college. Several times yearly, Burton and his wife loved to visit the Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson where they enjoyed the horseback riding, trail rides, the mountains and the ranch's ambience. They decided to leave Chicago and retire to Tucson about 30 years ago in order to continue their enjoyment of the Tucson environment. Survivors include his brother, Byron Kinney of Evanston, IL and his wife Frances Kinney; his sister-in-law, Carolyn Kinney of Sun City, AZ, the widow of his brother, Marvin Kinney; three nephews and a niece; two great-nephews and three great-nieces. Burton will be missed by good friends and neighbors, Linda and Larry, Hildegard and Lupita. Memorial Service will be held at BRING'S BROADWAY CHAPEL, 6910 E. Broadway Blvd. at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, November 17, 2016. Interment will be at the National Memorial Cemetery, 23029 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ at 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 18, 2016.