John Howard Kinnaird

John Howard Kinnaird was born on December 12, 1946 in Weed, California and passed away on September 22, 2020 in Aurora, Colorado. He is preceded in death by his parents; James and Anne Kinnaird, Grandparents; Pearl Blohm Huffman, Ora Huffman and Mary Gladys Hawtin Kinnaird, William Bromly Kinnaird, Aunts / Uncles; Margaret Huffman, John Huffman. He is survived by his Spouse; Aline Kinnaird, Sons; Michael and David Kinnaird, Daughter; Kattie Whitman, Sister; Billie Woodard, Grandchildren; Milina and Mollyanne Kinnaird, Kayla, Austin and Emily Whitman, Stepson: Ray Beals, Stepdaughter; Wendy Beals, Step grandchildren; Chad and Tyler Beals. John attended Roy J Wasson High School Colorado Springs, Colorado an soon after he joined The Military Service, he served in the US Navy from 1966 to 1986. He was stationed at Moffett Field California and retired as a Petty Officer First Class. He was given the following awards: Vietnam Service Medal, Sea Deployment Medal. He enjoyed a career as a US Navy P3 Orion Flight Tech and a Long Haul Truck Driver. He had many hobbies and things he enjoyed like; Flying, Astronomy, Food and Being a Kid. We are very proud to call John Kinnaird our father. He was everything a father should be to his family. Always there, willing to listen, and a teacher. Some of my fondest memories of him are from growing up. Teaching us many outdoor skills such as safely shooting a bow and arrow or a rifle. How to properly set up a campsite or properly apply first aid. Many of these things he did through the Boy Scouts he led. Troop 251 was a special time. He was such a leader and helped so many experience the outdoors. Dad was a great teacher. He would be there watching, offer guidance, and let you do it. And sometimes you failed and sometimes you banged up your knee doing it. But he was always there to make sure we never got really hurt, and more importantly there to pick us up and push us forward again. Dad always wanted nothing but the best for us and for us to experience life by exploring what was around us. We will take your lessons and apply them to our lives, and our families. We will miss you dad but you will always remain with us, Love Mike, David, and Kattie To John I have had many random thoughts over the past few weeks. One recurring one is that I have known you my entire life (71 years)---longer than any other living person. You and I are the only people who share memories of our youth and now, I alone hold those memories. I don't want to be the only keeper of those memories, so I am going to share a few with those who love you as I do. My childhood memories pretty much begin in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. We were both born in California, but we moved to Illinois when I was 4 and you were 6. Our time there is divided into two sections---when we lived "down the road" and when we lived "up the road." It wasn't a long road, and as far as I know, it didn't have a name. It was just "the road," and most of our closest friends and playmates lived on that road. We lived near the end of the road for four or five years. It was a small frame house with two bedrooms. You and I shared one, Mom and Daddy had one and Grandma Kinnaird had her bed on the closed in front porch. But, it had a huge yard with room for fun. Daddy built us a playhouse on the back of the garage. There was a giant tree in the middle of the back yard---the one you fell out of and broke your arm. We used to have "fairs" there with our friends to raise money to get gifts for Mother's and Father's Day. We sold each other cookies and lemonade, trained our pets to do silly tricks, and gave each other rides around that big tree on your orange pedal tractor. Then we would divide the money; Mom would take us all to town to shop. It never occurred to us that it was work for her. One year we got her a bucket and mop because her old ones needed replacing. We didn't make that mistake twice. The next year we got her a really tacky bracelet. She loved it. I still have it. When I was nine or so, and you were around eleven, we moved "up the road" to a bit bigger place. It had a gigantic yard with loads of trees, roses, lilacs, and daffodils. It had a pasture with a pond and a barn with a loft. It was a wonderful place for kids. Mowing that big yard fell to us. I can remember how fast that darn grass grew. We would mow it weekly, together, you doing a round, then me doing a round. Once in a while you would do two rounds to my one, because I was "littler." We also had cows and chickens. I remember having to get up early to feed the calves with a nipple bucket before school. We both had a calf. As they got older, it was your job to feed the cows and mine to feed the chickens. The barn's hayloft was a magical place. We built forts in the hay and one day we went to play and found a litter of kittens. They were so cute and we were told we could check on them, but not touch them because they might be sick. Somehow we got ringworms. I wonder how that happened? But, that is how we ended up with Bright Eyes, the mom and Tomboy, one of her kittens. It wasn't long after that that Mugs, our boxer adopted us. He was hit on the road, and Mom took him to the vet. The owners wouldn't pay the bill, but said if she did, we could have him. He became one of the family there and then. I remember how we used to have a heat vent right in front of the tv. You and I would argue over whose feet got to be on the vent when we were watching, "Sky King," The Lone Ranger," The Cisco Kid," or any other show. The amazing thing was that Mugs always won the vent. Before we even knew it, he was on it and we were not! It was a simpler time. We had a lot of freedom. We played games outside with our friends - Red Rover, Freeze Tag, Hide and Seek. We caught lightning bugs. We went down the road to Stitch's pond to swim. Occasionally we had a dime to buy a snowball from Wall's stand across the street. The highlights of the year were Chicken Pie Supper and carnival at Summersville School and the end of the school year party at the park. The best holiday, next to Christmas, was July 4th. Daddy always made barbequed chicken, and we usually had fresh corn and tomatoes from the garden. Then that night was the big carnival with the rides and games before fireworks over the lake at the city park. Halloween was great too. We were allowed to go pretty much everywhere, because we knew almost everyone around. It was safer then. No one had store-bought costumes. We all spent days planning and making ours from whatever we could scrounge. We were allowed one soda a day. Neither of us wanted to have ours first and then watch the other enjoy his, so we always negotiated having them together. It was a game with us, as was who would get the blue aluminum glass at meals. You would grab it first and breathe into it to mark it as yours. You devil! Scouting and Civil Air Patrol were your passions You loved airplanes and always wanted to fly. You had many airplane models dangling from strings in the ceiling of your room. I remember how jealous I was when you got to go with the CAP to the World's Fair in New York. You eventually made your dream to fly come true, first with the Navy and then when you got your pilot's license. Our yearly trips to Colorado were great memories. We would pack up in the red Rambler station wagon and head west for a two day drive-no air conditioning in July. We would fight over who got to sit behind Daddy because he didn't smoke as much and it was more pleasant. We had saved our pennies all year so we could ride the stable horses in Green Mountain Falls where Grandma and Grandad Huffman lived. We worked together on the Whistling Dan Popcorn truck when Mom and Dad first got them in Mt. Vernon. You could drive then, but I couldn't. You drove and I waited on customers. We were a pretty good team. Soon, when I was fifteen and you were seventeen, we moved to Colorado Springs. It was there that you did me a really big favor. I had only had my driver's license for a couple of months and wasn't allowed to take the car by myself yet. Mom and Dad had gone hunting for a few days, leaving you in charge. You let me take the car. After that, I was allowed to drive all the time. I will never forget that!! You left for the Navy not long after that and began new chapters of your life. There are many people who share those memories with you, some more than others. You have been blessed with a wonderful family and many treasured friends and adventures. We have not always seen eye-to-eye on things, and you always enjoyed engaging me in a debate. I must admit I didn't enjoy them so much. But one thing is for sure, you were always a good big brother! You are now starting a new adventure. I will miss you and I ask God to bless you as you begin this new journey. Goodbye, John. I love you, Billie. Donations in Memory of John; If you would like to make a donation in memory of John please consider the Fisher House Foundation as they were amazing in offering a place for family to stay during John's final days at no cost. Their kindness made a huge and positive impact on the family. We simply cannot say enough kind words about them. Another organization to consider is the VFW, Veterans of Foreign Wars. Military service was a very big part of John's life and he would be honored to help them out in life and in death. Cemetery Details Pikes Peak National Cemetery 10545 Drennan Road, Colorado Springs , CO 80925 Loading map Previous Events Military Honors Interment SEP 30. 1:00 PM (MT) Pikes Peak National Cemetery 10545 Drennan Road, Colorado Springs , CO 80925 Loading map