WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Elwood C. “Sag” Kinney, Jr., age 85, of Constantine, passed away Friday, April 12th, 2013 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born in Cass County on June 20, 1927, a son of Elwood and Dorothy (Wortinger) Kinney. Sag graduated from Constantine High School in 1946. He served in the US Marine Corp. during WW II from 1946 to 1948. Sag attended boot camp at Paris Island and received anti-aircraft training at Camp Lejeune. He was stationed in Washington DC serving on the security detail for President Truman, and was a member of the Honor Guard at Arlington National Cemetery.
On May 2, 1953 he married Delores “Dee” Root in LaGrange, IN. She preceded him in death on Sept. 19, 2009. Sag operated Sags Leonard Gas Station in Constantine, worked for Conn Selmer Co., Elkhart and was a milkman for Bonfoey Dairy in Three Rivers. In 1968 he began working for Armstrong International as machine operator and assembler retiring in 1995. Sag will always be remembered as the “candy man” around St. Joseph County.
Surviving are his daughter Linda Sue “Susie” (Ron) Daly, Osceola, IN, son Bradley (Barbara) Kinney, Constantine, sisters Maxine Milhahn, Three Rivers, Sonja Gifford, Portage, brother Cliff (Sara) Kinney, Lewisburg, PA, grandchildren Chad (Karri) Kinney, Brandy (Joe) Wessels, Kyle (Kelly) Harman, Lance (Sara) Harman, Wendy (Gary) Rodewald, Josh Eash, Crystal (Keenan) Moore, Steven Kinney, Timothy Kinney, Josh Kinney, Kristen Kinney, Kevin Kinney, Roy Lewis Kinney, and Brandon Stacey, several great grandchildren, companion Juanita Oldfield and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife Delores Kinney.
Relatives and friends will be received Tuesday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm at Eley Funeral Home in Constantine. Religious Services will be held at the funeral home at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, with Pastor Dan Lane, Chaplain Armstrong International, officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to American Legion Post #223 Constantine. Cremation will follow services. Online messages may be left for the family at www.eleyfuneralhomes.com.
