Dan Kinney, 1942-2025
With sadness in our hearts, we report that Dan Kinney died September 29, 2025. About 60 of us enjoyed seeing and talking with Dan at our 65th Reunion in Wichita, September 19-20. As soon as his obituary is available, you will find it here. In the meantime, we will re-publish stories that Dan wrote for this website. Many of his stories recount hilarious versions of high school adventures. Not a computer user, Dan wrote his stories by hand on lined paper and mailed them to us. Along with Dan’s stories, you will find pieces from The Messenger about his exploits, yearbook photos, and stories by his friends.
In his professional life, Dan built a first-rate parks and recreation program in Springfield, Missouri. The Dan Kinney collection on our website includes newspaper and magazine clips about the many awards and honors he received, including a photo of the huge recreation building in Springfield that was named for him.
One of the questions asked of classmates who attended the 65th Reunion was — “Hey! How did you live this long?” Dan talked about how it wasn’t easy, especially given his rascally start. In conclusion, he said, “I lived so long because I loved my jobs, my family, and my church.”
If you have memories of Dan Kinney to share, add them below as Comments or send them to Marilyn (mbellert@niu.edu) and Diane (ddzinn@aol.com).
