Kenneth Kinnear

Kenneth E. Kinnear was a man with a great mind, an appetite for life and an incredible work ethic. He was both hard working and talented and could be found doing anything from ballroom dance to buying his own insurance agency to volunteering for the Northminster Presbyterian Church Board. Kenny didn't just do things … he did everything with great passion! He was a true gentleman who cared for people more than for things and that was obvious by the way Kenny lived his life.

The 1910s were called the Ballroom Decade and many restaurants were equipped with dance floors for the patrons to enjoy. Popular songs like "Alexander Ragtime Band," "Danny Boy," and "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" were all tunes that young Americans were dancing to. Young Americans, Willis Hayes and Beulah (Barnhill) Kinnear were probably dancing with joy at the birth of their second child, Kenneth E. Kinnear, who was born on July 18, 1915.

Kenny and his older brother, Willis, grew up with their parents on Ruckle Street in Indianapolis, IN. As a young boy, Kenny's bright red hair led his father to give him the nickname, Peppy. Kenny was a lefty, but his father thought it would be best for him to be right-handed and, as a result, Kenny began to stutter. However, his father, Hayes, loved Kenny and always wanted the best for him. At one point, Hayes developed an area near The Ohio State University where he named the intersecting streets Kenny Street and Kinnear Avenue. When Kenny was only nine years old, his father was killed in an interurban train accident. It was a traumatic time for Kenny and his family, and it caused both Kenny and his older brother Willis to grow up quickly. As a result of losing his father, Kenny and his family moved into the Marott Hotel where they lived for most of Kenny's childhood.

After graduating from Shortridge High School, Kenny attended The Ohio State University. Kenny loved school and participated in many extracurricular activities. He lettered in Polo and was also a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. Kenny was a straight A student, studied hard and graduated in 1936. During his college years, Kenny was convinced by his best friend to go on a blind date. The risk was worth it! It was on that date that Kenny met Margaret Ramey. They shared their first kiss at Highland Country Club when Margaret was only 15 years old. Margaret’s father insisted that she not marry before she was 20 years of age. So on June 26, 1938, when Margaret was 20 and Kenny was 23, they were married at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, IN. They spent their honeymoon at scenic Niagara Falls.

After college, Kenny went to work for Margaret’s father, George Lawrence Ramey, as an insurance agent. Kenny and G.L. had a close relationship that was especially nice for Kenny since he grew up without his father. Kenny eventually bought the C.E. Williams Insurance Agency and built it into the Kenneth E. Kinnear Insurance Agency. For Kenny, this was not simply a business. He enjoyed the relationships with his customers in the community. There were many times when people were not able to pay their bills and Kenny would struggle to work something out with them. He was well respected among his colleagues and was exceptionally generous to his customers. In 1982, Kenny sold his business to Waterfield Insurance, where he continued to work until 1999, retiring at the age of 84.

Kenny and Margaret were blessed with two children. Judith was born in 1942 and their son, Kenneth (Kim), was born ten years later in 1952. Their daughter, Judith, was a wonderful big sister and helpful babysitter. Although Kenny was not fond of pets, he knew they meant a lot to the children. The family always had cats and dogs while the kids were growing up.

Kenny encouraged his children to be all that they could be and reiterated to them throughout their lives: "You can do it!" He shared with them all that they wanted to know and loved to watch them grow intellectually. He was an adoring father just as Margaret thought he would be. Kenny took his family on many trips to see the United States, but the family's favorite location was the Southwest. They also spent summers as a family at Lake Wawasee in Syracuse, Indiana. Both Kenny and Margaret had summered there when they were young and they were excited to share the experience with their children. Kenny loved the thrill of racing on the water in their speedboat. He enjoyed taking the kids skiing and boating on the lake.

Kenny was a loving and romantic husband and a skilled ballroom dancer and looked dashing in his top hat and tails. He supported Margaret in her own business, the Cotillion, which she still teaches in Indianapolis. Margaret has taught thousands of people ballroom dancing and proper etiquette with Kenny’s support, and these traditions have continued for more than 50 years.

In the community, Kenny was a member of Scottish Rite, Woodstock Club, Columbia Club and the Indianapolis Athletic Club. He and his family helped to start Northminster Presbyterian Church, and he was active in the church serving as a deacon, an elder and a member of the board of trustees.

Anywhere Margaret was, Kenny wanted to be there with her. Since 1942, they spent their years in the same home. Home was where the heart was and Kenny was grateful for his wife and the 66 years of marriage she gave to him. He loved her cooking, especially her casseroles, but above all, Kenny was just grateful for the life they had together. He was a man dedicated to his family and his faith and Kenny spent his life balancing his work with being a loving father and husband. Kenny was truly an inspiration for all those who knew him.

Kenneth E. Kinnear, 89, life long resident of Indianapolis, died on April 17, 2005. He was preceded in death by one brother, Willis Hayes Kinnear, Jr. His family includes his wife of 66 years, Margaret (Ramey) Kinnear; children, Judith K. Hamilton (former son-in-law, Thomas G. Hamilton), Kenneth E. "Kim" Kinnear, Jr. (Karen Kinnear); grandchildren, Edwin "Ted" Hamilton (Patricia), Margaret Thompson (Mark), Heather Kinnear, and Eric Kinnear; great grandchildren, Elizabeth Payton Laffoday and Madison Taylor Thompson.

To learn more about Kenneth's life, friends may visit with his family from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the Leppert Life Story Funeral Home, Nora Chapel. Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. on Wednesday in the funeral home with inurnment following in Crown Hill Cemetery.

Please visit Kenneth's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can share a memory, order flowers online or make a memorial contribution. Memorials may be made to Northminster Presbyterian Church.