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Obituary (CA): Leo Douglas Kinney '54

Posted on 07/21/2019

L. Douglas Kinney passed away peacefully after a long illness on June 5, 2019, at the age of 86, in Elk Grove, CA, with family by his side. He resided in Sacramento and the surrounding area for over 56 years. He was born August 18, 1932, in Lander, Wyoming, the only child of Leo M. Kinney and Lila M. Kinney. He graduated with honors from Fremont County Vocational High School in Lander in 1950, played Junior American Legion baseball for four years, lettered in basketball and football, made all-state band for four years playing French horn and was selected for Boys State. He also attained the rank of Life Boy Scout. Immediately thereafter, upon a senatorial appointment, Mr. Kinney attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, from 1950-1954. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in general engineering while participating in several sports, as well as the Drum and Bugle Corp and the Midshipmen's Symphonic Band. He served as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Navy in the Pacific on the aircraft carrier USS Boxer and on the destroyer USS Harry E. Hubbard. Following an honorable discharge from the Navy, Mr. Kinney enrolled in Hastings College of Law in San Francisco and earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1961, graduating No.1 in legal research. Mr. Kinney served his entire professional career in the California Legislative Counsel Bureau for 32 years, advancing to Deputy Legislative Counsel III. His work involved many areas including drafting the original air pollution bills, extensive work in education as well as state government, health and safety, military and veterans, welfare, civil law, discrimination, business and professionals, family law, and many other subjects. He eventually became renowned for his expertise in public retirement, a field he covered for over 10 years. In addition to his long, steady legal research career as an attorney, he was a founding member of the Humanists Association of the Greater Sacramento Area, an associate of the Unitarian-Universalist Society of Sacramento, a life member of the University of California Alumni Association, a member of the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association and the Hastings Alumni Association and he maintained memberships in several other organizations in line with his intellectual interests. Mr. Kinney had a life-long love of sports, music, academic pursuits and chocolate! In his later years, he enjoyed world travel, sang with barbershop groups, collected and studied mushrooms, played senior softball, and enjoyed family dinners and get-togethers. Always nattily attired preferably in his trademark Irish golf cap and sports coat, he had a chivalrous demeanor and maintained a charming sense of humor to his final days. Mr. Kinney was preceded in death by his beloved lady friend, Joanne Dangerfield. He is survived by his three children; Elizabeth Sides (and Jim Sides) of Petaluma, CA, Mark Kinney (and Lana Kovarik) of Foresthill, CA, and David Kinney (and Traci Kinney) of Elk Grove, CA, as well as three grandchildren; Katherine Kinney of New York City, Kelsey Sides of Los Angeles, and Austin Sides of Santa Cruz, California. As his final act of contributing to society, his body was donated to a science organization so that others could benefit from the advancement of medical research.

Published in The Sacramento Bee on July 21, 2019