Jean Kinney

Jean F. (Conrad) Kinney, 97, of Battle Creek died peacefully at home on Tuesday, November 20, 2018. Jean was born January 13, 1921 in Wayland, Michigan the daughter of Howard Lo and Helen Marie (Butine) Conrad. She grew up in Gobles, Michigan, graduated from Gobles High School and earned a secretarial degree. Jean was employed in the offices at Kalamazoo Valley Paper Mill in Kalamazoo and retired from H.B. Sherman Company in Battle Creek. After retiring, she worked at Valley View Elementary in Springfield, where she wore many hats as "Grandma Kinney" and absolutely loved helping the children in the lunchroom, library and as a reading mentor. Jean married Royal W. Kinney on January 5, 1946 at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kalamazoo. Sadly, she was preceded in death by her husband, Royal on June 16, 1974; her parents, a son, Dennis Kinney; four sisters and two brothers. Surviving are her children, Kathy Collins, Sharon Wieland, Gary (Dawn) Kinney, Barbara Murdock and Patrick Kinney; 16 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; a brother, Robert Conrad; a daughter-in-law, Cindy Kinney and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and their families. Jean was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. She loved spending time with her family and especially with the little ones the more the merrier! She enjoyed crocheting, tending to her flower garden, reading on her front porch and especially baking and planning for Christmas and family holiday gatherings. Jean's family will receive friends 5:00 7:00 p.m. Monday Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Christopher Ankley 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 61 N. 23rd St., Battle Creek, MI 49015. Committal and interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions in memory of Jean Kinney may be made to Great Lakes Caring Hospice, 900 Cooper St., Jackson, MI 49202. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.