John David Kinney, Jr., 27, of Denver, CO, passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2016.
The family will receive friends from 5pm until 7pm, with a Rosary recited at 7pm, on Thursday, March 31st at Starks & Menchinger Chapel & Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI. John David’s life will be celebrated with close family and friends on Friday, April 1st. He will be laid to rest in Calvary Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Dumb Friends League, an animal shelter John supported in Denver, or the Denver Indian Family Resource Center, John’s partner’s agency where he served many volunteer hours and supported many events. Those wishing to sign John David’s guestbook may do so online at www.starks-menchinger.com.
John David was born on April 15, 1988 in St. Joseph, MI to John & Patrice (Ray) Kinney. Growing up, he spent many summers in Texas with his grandparents, Ana and Pop, and his cousins, Amanda and Megan. He loved floating down the Frio River and enjoyed many escapades in South Texas with cousins and friends. He also loved spending time at Sister Lakes, wakeboarding and riding dirt bikes with his siblings, Kayla and Scott, and cousins, Hank and Erin. He enjoyed a special bond with his young cousin, Bristol, who thought he hung the moon.
He was a 2006 graduate of St. Joseph Public High School. John David went on to attend Michigan Tech University where he received his Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering and met the love of his life, Sarah Nelson, with whom he shared many adventures. He and Sarah moved to St. Louis where he worked as a Safety Analyst for Bi-State Development Agency – Metro, a job he often called his favorite. After work, John David would take time to play pinball and shuffleboard with his friends while eating Black Thorn pizza, his personal favorite. John David lived briefly in Texas, working with his grandfather, Pop, in the oilfield industry, before they moved to Colorado where he worked as a Construction Project Manager for Northeast Denver Housing Center. He enjoyed skateboarding during his lunch break, snowboarding, camping, hiking on the weekends, and exploring Colorado.
John David will be remembered as a kind-hearted and brilliant young man with a quirky sense of humor; he hoped to one day eat the best pizza in every state and open up a pinball lounge.
He is survived by Sarah Nelson; parents, John (Mary) Kinney and Patrice (Patrick) Nelson; grandparents, Jack (Rita) Kinney and Allen (Linda) Ray; siblings, Scott (Stephanie) Mann and Kayla (Juan) Mann; nieces, Madison, Emily, Elizabeth Mann and Alyssa Garcia; fur-children, Beyonce and Minga; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who loved him dearly.