Joanne Elkin Kinney

Joanne Elkin Kinney, 83, of Olympia, WA, passed away July 28, 2015. A proud native of Detroit, Joanne was the beloved wife of the late Richard R. Kinney, to whom she was married for 41 years. Joanne was a graduate of Cass Technical High School and Wayne State University in Detroit, where she received a Bachelor in Fine Arts. During the course of her graphic design career, she worked at Michigan Services Credit Union and Stone & Simons, Inc. She also worked as a freelance graphic designer, illustrating book jackets for Wayne State and other academic presses. She was an accomplished artist in many mediums and showed her work in numerous galleries, primarily in Michigan and California. In 1985, Joanne and Richard moved from Detroit to Ames, Iowa, where she taught at Iowa State University and met many lifelong friends. In 1991, Joanne and Richard moved to Los Angeles and were warmly welcomed by the community at the J. Paul Getty Trust, where Richard was Director of Publishing. In Los Angeles, Joanne and Richard were thrilled to be closer to many family members, including Joanne’s brother Robert Elkin and cousin Arlene Lazerson. During her time in Los Angeles, Joanne volunteered as a docent at the Skirball Cultural Center. In the fall of 2001, she and Richard were visiting artists at the American Academy in Rome, an accomplishment in which Joanne took great pride. In 2007, Joanne and Richard moved to Olympia, WA, to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Joanne loved watercolor painting, traveling the world with Richard, and collecting art. She also loved playing Michigan rummy with friends and family, including her ex-husband Dan Colman, with whom she maintained a lifelong friendship. She was an avid and knowledgeable sports fan her entire life, and enjoyed rooting for her favorite teams: the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Joanne had a clever and unique sense of humor, which she shared with many. She will be deeply missed by all those who knew and loved her. She is survived by her sons, Victor Colman (Cathy) of Olympia, WA; Cantor Joel Colman of New Orleans, LA; stepson Scott Kinney (Phyllis) of Tampa Bay, FL; grandchildren Rosa Colman, Eli Wasserman, and Josh Colman; sister, Elizabeth Weiss of Farmington Hills, MI, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard R. Kinney, brother, Robert Elkin, and stepsons, David Kinney and Jeffrey Kinney. Please leave memories of Joanne or condolences for her family in the Guestbook below.