Jeffrey Kinzbach

 

On January 18, 2021, Jeffrey G. Kinzbach “Jeff” of Reeds Spring, Missouri, passed away after a long battle with brain cancer.  He was 63.

Jeff was born on October 8, 1957, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Charles and Ruth (Hudepohl) Kinzbach.  He was welcomed into the family by brothers Jerry and Kevin and sister Holly.  Jeff’s childhood summers spent boating on the Ohio River shaped his lifelong love of the water.  Jeff credited his father with instilling his strong work ethic.  Jeff spent his life combining that work ethic with his nearly boundless energy to set challenging goals for himself and achieve them. 

Jeff earned both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from The Ohio State University, launching a very successful career in the food industry.  He started his career as a research scientist for Frito-Lay/Pepsico Foods where the high energy culture was a perfect fit with Jeff’s high energy personality and natural drive for results.  His work for Pepsico moved him to Texas, Australia and New York and had him traveling around the globe. 

Jeff married Jenny Hall in 1978, resulting in Jeff becoming proud father of Jeffrey Gerard, Jr (JJ), born in 1988, and Jacob Charles, born in 1991.  Fatherhood filled Jeff with a deep sense of responsibility for his family, motivating him to work even harder.  With his demanding professional life, Jeff’s time with his boys had to focus on quality over quantity.  Jeff loved sharing his interests such as boating, fishing, waterskiing and chess with his boys from their earliest days.

After Pepsico, Jeff worked for the Wrigley Company in Chicago as well as the Gerber Product Company in Fremont, Michigan.  Jeff was instrumental in Gerber’s sale to Nestlé in 2007.  This resulted in one last international assignment to Vevey Switzerland where Jeff finished his career as Global Head of R&D for Baby Food and Performance Nutrition with Nestlé. 

Jeff married Michelle Claassen in 2004 and became the father to a daughter when Kate Caroline was born in December 2005.  Kate was his very own Gerber baby, and she was welcomed at various meetings and work functions. 

Jeff had extremely high expectations for himself and for those around him.  This meant that it wasn’t always easy to work for or with him in the short term, but the long-term results were worth the effort.  Jeff saw abilities in others that they might not see themselves, and he would motivate and push for success.  He was a natural leader who was best at the big picture. 

Jeff was always busy - if it wasn’t with work then with a hobby or project.  Jeff would say that he was a “jack of all trades but a master of none.”  Those around him would disagree.  He was very good at many things, but his interests were diverse.  He was good at building and fixing things and happy to help neighbors and friends with just about any task.  He liked to keep his social calendar full.  He was a total extrovert who could find a topic of conversation with anyone.  Jeff was a terrific host who preferred smaller gatherings so that he had a chance to talk to each person there.  He loved teaching people to waterski as much as enjoyed skiing himself.  Jeff loved sports, especially college football and basketball where his favorite team was The Ohio State University. 

When Jeff was a young man, he set the goal of retiring at 50.  He managed it at 54 and loved retirement at Table Rock Lake.  He remained as busy as ever, but now with projects were ones that he chose.  After years of sitting in meetings, Jeff liked projects where he could see what he accomplished.  He finished decks, moved rocks, and planted trees.  At the age of 57 Jeff found a new passion for restoring cars utilizing his mechanical, problem solving and project management skills.  He also said that car restoration taught him patience, something he would need in the last years of his life.   As much as he enjoyed the cars, his greater joy came from the people that he met while restoring and after when driving or showing the cars.

A routine physical at the age of 28 led Jeff to a life change where health and fitness become priorities.  He took up running, first at the Frito-Lay Fitness Center by himself but later around the streets of Fremont Michigan with a group of friends.  In his late 40’s he turned to distance cycling, and a new passion was born.  He loved riding with small groups of friends. 

It was on a 110-mile bike ride that Jeff experienced some weakness in his left hand. Within days the issue that he thought was no big deal was identified as a very big deal indeed, a cancer with a dire prognosis.   Jeff tried to finish every project on his long list, first on his own and then with the help of others who could act as his hands.  Although he beat the doctor’s original prognosis, the cancer took its toll as the months passed.  The busy man had no choice but to slow down.  As he could do less and less, he appreciated friends and family even more. 

Jeff thought of himself as a successful professional, but he was much more than that.  He was the fun dad, the cool uncle, and the best person to teach your kid to waterski.  He was an accomplished athlete and a fantastic host.  Jeff was a generous friend and a helpful neighbor.  He will be forever known as hardworking and passionate with the desire to always do his absolute best. 

Jeff is survived by his wife, Michelle, daughter Kate, sons Jake (Kirsten) and JJ, granddaughter Harper, brother Kevin, brother-in-law Bill Kaiser and nieces and nephews.  He is preceded in death by his parents Charles and Ruth Kinzbach, brother Jerry and sister Holly Kaiser.

A memorial service will be on Friday, February 5, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at Woodland Hills Family Church in Branson, MO.  In-person attendance will be limited due to COVID-19 concerns. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a memorial donation to either Chances of Stone County or to St. Jude Children's Hospital at www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html