John Michael Kinney

1945 - 2018

KINSTON - John Michael Kinney, 73, passed away on Sunday, October 28, 2018 at his home surrounded by his loving family and friends. The funeral service will be conducted Wednesday, October 31st, at 11 am at Edwards Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Westview Cemetery. The family will receive relatives and friends Tuesday, October 30th, from 6 to 8 pm at the funeral home.
He was born July 24, 1945 in Kinston to the late Jack and Louise Kinney and remained a resident of Lenoir County all of his life. He was a member of the graduating class of 1963 at Grainger High School and married Betty Carole Oliver, his high school sweetheart. Their union was an example to all who came across their path and they were blessed with 56 years of marriage.
Shortly after his high school graduation, John began a career that spanned 40 years as an auto-body mechanic, where he took great pride in his work. He was also the past owner of Kinney's Exxon. Upon his retirement in 2007, John was able to devote more time to his life-long hobby of pigeon racing. Since the age of 14, John both bred and raced pigeons across the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States and was an active member of the Golden Leaf Racing Pigeon Club of which he served as an officer of the club. John had a love of all animals, especially dogs, and was a man with a wonderful sense of humor and appreciated the simple things that life offered.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Olivia Nicole Kinney of Ringgold, Georgia; and a sister, Teresa (Chi Chi) Eilertson of Kinston.
John is survived by his wife, Betty Oliver Kinney of Kinston; two children, Kim Kinney and husband Andrew Schmidt of Greenville and Jeffery Kinney and wife Beth of Raleigh; four siblings, Ann Joseph and husband Jim of Greenville, Cassie Kilpatrick and husband Kenny of Fort Barnwell, Lisa Hoyt and husband Keais of Winterville, Philip Kinney and wife Melissa of Washington; three grandchildren, Kristin Wetherington Hamilton of New York, John Wetherington of Greenville, and Lauren Kinney of Chattanooga; three step-grandchildren, Abby, Sabrina, and Ryan Schmidt, all of Greenville.
Memorials may be made to the Tanglewood Church of God, Cancer Support Group, 2103 Rouse Rd, Kinston, NC 28504 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
arrangements by Edwards Funeral Home & Cremations. Online condolences may be expressed at www.edwardsfhc.com.