Barbara Kinner

BARBARA KINNER, 88
ITHACA - Barbara Kinner passed away peacefully in her home in Ithaca with her family by her side on July 21, 2008.
Born Barbara Katherine DeLaney on October 21, 1919 to Harold Hastings DeLaney and Edith Peake DeLaney in Youngstown, Ohio, Barb learned the accordion and piano, sparking a lifelong love of and career in music. She graduated with a BA in Music Performance in Voice and Piano from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1943 and sang and played piano for the Red Cross during WWII, where she met her husband, Robert J. Kinner who was serving in the Army.
Barb and Bob married December 28, 1946 and raised their four children in Richfield Springs, NY and Ithaca, NY.
Barb directed the choirs at the Presbyterian Church in Richfield Springs and sang in the choir at the First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca, often as a soprano soloist.
Barb shared her love of music by teaching vocal music in the Spencer-Van Etten, NY Elementary School for 15 years.
After retiring, Barb and Bob spent 10 years as "full-timers," driving their motor home throughout the US, Mexico and Canada, an experience she documented in lovingly written journals. Barb's ear for music and nature's songs served her well as she and Bob expanded their "life-list" of observed birds from Alaska to Florida.
With their travelling days nearing an end, Barb and Bob became two of the earliest supporters and residents of Longview Retirement Community on South Hill in Ithaca.
Barb is survived by her husband, Robert; brother, William DeLaney (wife, Elsie) of Van Hornesville, NY; daughters, Patricia Kelly of San Antonio, FL and Ann Johnson (husband, Gary) of Danby, NY; sons, Richard (wife, Marilyn) of Trumansburg, NY and John (wife, Judy) of Madison, NJ and Falmouth, ME; and grandchildren, Cadence Kelly, Karen Anderson, Kathy Kelly, Sarah Rossiter, Ashley Johnson, Wade Johnson, Amelia Kinner, Lily Kinner, Noah Kinner, Alicia Grey and Haley Kinner.
Services will be held 4:00 p.m. Saturday, July 26 at Longview, in the auditorium.
The family asks that memorials be marked in Barbara's name and sent to Longview Beautification Fund for their gardens: Longview, 1 Bella Vista Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850. Arrangements are by the Bangs Funeral Home.