Danny "Dan" Kinney Sr.

Danny "Dan" Kinney Sr., 83, a beloved community member and patriarch, passed away on Monday, September 29, 2025.
Dan was born on July 1, 1942, in Wichita, Kansas to Richard and Ada Kinney.
Dan spent his life dedicated to the things he loved most – family, athletics, and the community. After he graduated from Wichita East High School, Dan attended Wichita State University where he played football and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Education. After starting his family, Dan furthered his education with a Master's Degree in Recreation and Park Administration from the University of Missouri, an achievement that was not only a testament to his passions but left a lasting impact on the community he would go on to serve.
From 1977 to his retirement in 2006, Dan served as the Director of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, overseeing the growth of the system from 33 to 88 parks and facilities, including the establishment of Chesterfield and Doling family centers, Close Memorial Park (which led to the development of Springfield Botanical Gardens), Cooper Park Sports Complex and Cooper Tennis Complex, Jordan Valley Park and Brightspeed Ice Park, Northview Center, Rivercut Golf Course, the School-Park program, Springfield Skate Park and the Dickerson Park Zoo. Dan also served 20 years as the Missouri State Commissioner for the Amateur Softball Association, helping maintain Springfield's longstanding reputation as a softball hub. Under his leadership, the Park Board earned national recognition receiving the 2000 'National Gold Medal Award' and being named Sports Illustrated's 'Sports Town USA.' Dan also played a pivotal role in establishing Springfield's sister-city with Isesaki, Japan, starting the Turkey Trot 5K Run-Walk, establishing the Springfield Lasers Pro Tennis Franchise and he founded the largely beloved Fourth of July "Firefall" celebration. All these accomplishments led to his induction into the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, a deserved honor for a lifetime of service to our community.
Dan will be remembered not only for his dedication to community, but also for his wisdom and simplicity. He held a deep love for the outdoors, whether that be tending to his gardens, managing his farm and land, or simply taking in sights and sounds of the nature that surrounded his home. He enjoyed spending as much time as he could with his family, where he would share the many stories of his life and lessons learned. To his grandchildren he was "Grandpa Dan" or "G.P.D." the one who taught them how to skip rocks, enjoy the simple things, and experience all that the world has to offer.
Dan is survived by his three children and their spouses; Danny Jr. and Michelle Kinney; Darran and Patti Kinney, and Kara and Wayne Gunnels; granddaughters Kelsi Kinney, Courtney Kinney and her husband Ryan Clark, and Avery Kinney; and great-grandson Kai Hart. He was preceded in death by his parents Richard "Dick" Sr. and Ada Kinney; and his older brother, Richard "Dickey" Kinney Jr.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 18, at 11:00 AM at Schweitzer Church in Springfield, MO, with a reception to follow. Friends and community members are welcome to attend and share their memories.
As the family considers the most fitting way to memorialize Dan, they kindly request that you honor his legacy through donations to Friends of the Zoo, in lieu of flowers. Additional information about how to donate can be found at: https://dickersonparkzoo.org/donate/friends-of-the-zoo/