Gerald M. Kinney

1931 - 2020

Gerald (Jerry) M. Kinney

West Des Moines - Gerald Marion (Jerry) Kinney was born December 24, 1931 in Herndon, Iowa, the son of Merle L. and Edna M. Kinney, and passed away on February 19, 2020 at MercyOne Hospice in Johnston. A visitation will be held at McLaren's Funeral Home in West Des Moines on February, 27 2020 from 4 to 7 p.m. A private family entombment will be held at the Resthaven Cemetery Mausoleum.

The first seventeen years of his life were spent on his parents' farm near Herndon, Iowa. After graduation from Jamaica High School, he attended and graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where he received a Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music Education degrees. He served as president of the Drake Band and was a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Alpha Tau Omega, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Omicron Delta Kappa fraternities. He maintained a private teaching studio in his home, and directed summer band concerts in Yale, Dawson, and Jamaica.

His instrumental music teaching career, lasting 67 years, included positions at Wall Lake, Adel, Lake City, Orange City, Red Oak, Ogden, Perry, Pella, Colfax-Mingo, Des Moines Diocesan Middle Schools, Valley of West Des Moines, Sacred Heart of West Des Moines, and Blair, Nebraska. His bands and orchestras received many Division I, or Superior, ratings at contests and festivals while hundreds of his students were selected for All-State Bands and Orchestras. Bands under his direction performed at the World's Fair (EXPO '67) at Montreal, Canada; and festivals, parades, and contests, in Dallas. Texas (2); Indianapolis, Indiana (2); Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; Kansas City, Missouri; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Rapid City, South Dakota (9); St. Louis, Missouri; as well as many Iowa events, i.e. the Iowa Bandmasters Convention, Tallcorn Music Conference, parades and festivals in Des Moines, Ames, Centerville, Estherville, Pella, Mason City, Algona, Iowa City, Clarinda, Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Iowa City, etc.

Jerry received the National Federation of High Schools Award as the Outstanding Music Educator in Iowa in 2006; served as President, Secretary (5 years), and Historian of the Iowa Bandmasters Association; and as President, of the South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association. He was elected for two terms to the District Advisory Board of the IHSMA; and appointed for two terms to Governor Robert D. Ray's Commission of Youth. He was the recipient of IBA's Karl King Active Award in 1992.

He enjoyed playing with the Des Moines Municipal Band; Perry Municipal Band; Boone Municipal Band; Shrine Band; Scottish Rite Consistory Band; and various similar central Iowa groups. He was a registered official with the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. He arranged, choreographed, and directed the "Patriotism Pageant" presented at the Girls State Basketball Tournament finals for several years. He originated a precision drill used by marching bands to turn parade corners now known as the "Texas Turn". He was one of the first directors to utilize a girl's auxiliary unit as an integral part of the marching band.

He was a member of the American School Band Directors Association, Iowa Bandmasters Association, South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association, Iowa Music Educators Association, Iowa state Education Association, and was a life member of the National Education Association. He belonged to the Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite Consistory, Za-Ga-Zig Shrine, and the United Methodist Church.

Jerry was a co-founder of the Iowa Bandmasters Association Retired Director's group (IBARD); organized and directed the Sacred Heart Sax 'n' Brass Band of West Des Moines for 386 concerts, and Recycled Brass of Mingo. At Blair he founded an elite solo and ensemble contest called the "Band Olympics"; such event having now spread to other schools and states involving hundreds of high school musicians each year. He served as an instrumental music judge for solo/ensemble and large group contests for 67 years in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri, and Illinois.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra, of West Des Moines; former wife, Joyce, Omaha, Nebraska; sister, Janet (Don) Van Cleave, Palatine, Illinois; brother, Gene (Karen), Perry, Iowa; sons, Philip (Jennifer) and Doug (Dajuan), Ankeny; and David, Des Moines; stepsons, Michael (Echo). Clear Lake, Iowa; Freeman, Norman, Oklahoma; grandsons, Taylor, Benton, and Colin Kinney; granddaughter, Erin Walker, two great grandsons, Cody and Caden Walker; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews, a host of former students, fellow teachers, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, and first wife, Beverly.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may include the Iowa Bandmasters Association, the Mingo United Methodist Church, or the Jerry Kinney Endowment Fund, Sacred Heart School.