Obituary for Richard "Rip" Kinney
Richard "Rip" Kinney, of Ann Arbor, Michigan passed away Friday, April 21, 2023 in Porter, Texas, at the age of 89.
Rip was born March 17, 1934, to Earl and Beulah Kinney in Reading, Michigan. He attended Hillsdale High School where he was an active student athlete, graduating in 1952. He received his bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University in 1956. While at Western Michigan, Rip was a pitcher on the 1955 WMU Baseball Team, which made it to the College World Series and came in as Runner-Up. Rip also received a master’s degree in Guidance Counseling from Michigan State University.
In 1956, he married Judith Stanfield, his wife of 62 years, in Reading, Michigan. Rip spent two years in the US Army until 1958 when he started his career in education. He and Judy both spent their professional lives teaching, coaching, and counseling. Rip was a teacher, as well as a baseball and football coach, at Greenville, Hudson, and Hillsdale High Schools. After leaving Hillsdale High School, Rip moved to Ypsilanti to become a counselor for Eastern Michigan University, while coaching summer youth baseball. He then went on to coach baseball at both Ann Arbor Huron and Ann Arbor Pioneer.
For several years, Rip also was a high school and college basketball and football referee. His high school football officiating career included many state championship games. Rip was a member of the Detroit Free Press All State Football Board. He was named to the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame and to Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He also received the Michigan Sports Sages Humanitarian Award.
Rip was a long-time resident of Ann Arbor after moving from Ypsilanti in 1988. In Ann Arbor he was very active for many years in the scholarship program of the Kiwanis Club. He was also a member of the West Side United Methodist Church.
Rip was well-respected and well-liked in his community and beyond. He was known for his pragmatic view of baseball and life. He often said, “If you’re gonna throw the ball, throw it or put it in your back pocket!”
Rip was preceded in death by his wife, Judy, in 2018. He is survived by his sister, Mary Jane Saxton and brother-in-law, Fred, of Litchfield, MI; his son, Steve Kinney and daughter-in-law, Sheila of Porter, TX; his son, Tom Kinney and daughter-in-law, Laura of Commerce, MI; and his grandchildren, Samantha (Randy) Boos, of Keego Harbor, MI, Kaitlyn Kinney of Indianapolis, IN, Shane Kinney of Commerce, MI and Shea Kinney of Porter, TX.
Visitation will be held on Monday, May 1, 2023 at Nie Family Funeral Home, 3767 W. Liberty Road, Ann Arbor Michigan, from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Funeral service will take place on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at West Side United Methodist Church, 900 S. 7th Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan, at 11:00 am. Burial will be held on at West Maplewood Cemetery, 5455 S. Edon Road (M-49), Reading, Michigan, on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 12:00 pm, where Military Honors will take place.
Rip was born March 17, 1934, to Earl and Beulah Kinney in Reading, Michigan. He attended Hillsdale High School where he was an active student athlete, graduating in 1952. He received his bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University in 1956. While at Western Michigan, Rip was a pitcher on the 1955 WMU Baseball Team, which made it to the College World Series and came in as Runner-Up. Rip also received a master’s degree in Guidance Counseling from Michigan State University.
In 1956, he married Judith Stanfield, his wife of 62 years, in Reading, Michigan. Rip spent two years in the US Army until 1958 when he started his career in education. He and Judy both spent their professional lives teaching, coaching, and counseling. Rip was a teacher, as well as a baseball and football coach, at Greenville, Hudson, and Hillsdale High Schools. After leaving Hillsdale High School, Rip moved to Ypsilanti to become a counselor for Eastern Michigan University, while coaching summer youth baseball. He then went on to coach baseball at both Ann Arbor Huron and Ann Arbor Pioneer.
For several years, Rip also was a high school and college basketball and football referee. His high school football officiating career included many state championship games. Rip was a member of the Detroit Free Press All State Football Board. He was named to the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame and to Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He also received the Michigan Sports Sages Humanitarian Award.
Rip was a long-time resident of Ann Arbor after moving from Ypsilanti in 1988. In Ann Arbor he was very active for many years in the scholarship program of the Kiwanis Club. He was also a member of the West Side United Methodist Church.
Rip was well-respected and well-liked in his community and beyond. He was known for his pragmatic view of baseball and life. He often said, “If you’re gonna throw the ball, throw it or put it in your back pocket!”
Rip was preceded in death by his wife, Judy, in 2018. He is survived by his sister, Mary Jane Saxton and brother-in-law, Fred, of Litchfield, MI; his son, Steve Kinney and daughter-in-law, Sheila of Porter, TX; his son, Tom Kinney and daughter-in-law, Laura of Commerce, MI; and his grandchildren, Samantha (Randy) Boos, of Keego Harbor, MI, Kaitlyn Kinney of Indianapolis, IN, Shane Kinney of Commerce, MI and Shea Kinney of Porter, TX.
Visitation will be held on Monday, May 1, 2023 at Nie Family Funeral Home, 3767 W. Liberty Road, Ann Arbor Michigan, from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Funeral service will take place on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at West Side United Methodist Church, 900 S. 7th Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan, at 11:00 am. Burial will be held on at West Maplewood Cemetery, 5455 S. Edon Road (M-49), Reading, Michigan, on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 12:00 pm, where Military Honors will take place.