Howard Clarence Kinsey

Glendive, Montana: Howard Clarence Kinsey, age 80 passed away on Monday, July 12, 2010 at his home in Glendive. Visitation will be held from 3:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. on Sunday, July 18, 2010 in the Chapel of the Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home in Glendive. A Life Tribute Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, July 19, 2010 at the United Methodist Church in Glendive with Celebrant Sandy Silha officiating. Interment with military honors will be in the Dawson Memorial Cemetery in Glendive. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements. Howard was born at home on December 2, 1929 to Clarence and Esther (Harper) Kinsey in Glendive. He was the third child in the family and was raised in the country on the Circle Highway. Howard attended the Edison School all 8 years (the little school painted red, white, and blue) and finished his education at Dawson County High School graduating with the class of 1947. After graduation he worked several jobs in town and around the country and finally went to work for Montana Dakota Utilities (MDU). When Howard was laid off, he said to heck with it and enlisted in the United States Army. He received basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington and after a furlough home he was sent to Korea in September of 1949. Howard was only over there about 9 days when he was shot through the shoulder, so he was sent back to the states where he spent a year in the hospital. The doctor at Madigan Army hospital told him he was very lucky, an inch over and it would have hit his spine. He was then sent to Camp Roberts, California until August of 1952 when he got orders to go to Alaska. In the meantime Joyce and her girlfriend came to see him and then had to go back to Montana. Howard always said that Joyce chased him clear to the Pacific ocean and he had to either marry her or jump in the ocean, since he couldn't swim he married her. They were married in the Methodist Church in Glendive, on a hot afternoon on September 4, 1952, the temperature read 95 degrees when they had their pictures taken. They were married only 10 days when Howard sailed to Fort Richardson, Alaska. He was gone for 8 months, before his discharge from the military. Howard and Joyce have resided in Glendive their entire lives. Howard worked for Montana Dakota Utilities. His job often took him away from home, which he didn't like, so he quit. He worked for Ray Ackerman at the Husky Truck Stop for many years, for Midland Lumber Company and also for Valley Motor Supply until his retirement in the late 80's. Howard and Joyce did some traveling, but not as much as they would have liked. During this time he was able to contact a lot of relatives, some he didn't know he had, and attended many family reunions to get reacquainted. Howard always regretted not knowing these relatives earlier in his life. He said the reunions were a lot of work but were worth every bit. He very much enjoyed the time spent with them. Howard enjoyed his animals especially his horses, he had spent many hours helping Joyce's uncle John with his horses. He also liked "picking" agates and making agate butterfly wind chimes and jewelry. Howard cherished the time he spent with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Howard was a life member of the Disabled Veterans of America, the V.F.W., and he was a fifty year member of the Moose Lodge. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Ed and Gordon and three sisters, Thelma, Mildred and Frances, one granddaughter, Heather Jimison and one Son-in-Law Allen Jimison. Survivors include his wife Joyce, of 55 years of Glendive; his daughter Pamela Jimison of Bismarck, North Dakota; his five sons, Bruce (Shelley) of Coos Bay, Oregon, Randy (Joy) of Billings, Montana, Tim and Chuck (Shari) all of Glendive and Clarence (Natalie) of Gilbert, Arizona; 14 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews. Memorial are suggested to the Cancer Center at Billings Clinic, Billings, MT; they were very helpful through some very difficult times. Glendive Medical Center Hospice, The American Cancer Society, PEAKS (People Everywhere Are Kind and Sharing), Glendive Moose Lodge Roof Repair. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silvernale-silhafuneralhome.com Howard Clarence Kinsey Life Tribute Service United Methodist Chyrch Glendive, Montnan July 19, 2010 Entrance Song: “Last Dance” Welcome: Master of Ceremonies Video Tribute Eulogy: Celebrant The ever-present grin, the joke, the story, the kind word, the firm handshake, the hug. These are just a few of the things that will be missed about Howard Clarence Kinsey. Howard enjoyed people and he had a way of making an impression on all who knew him. Howard was well liked and well respected. Perhaps it was his honest and fair nature; perhaps it was his sense of humor; perhaps it was because he made time for people, and would try to make you smile with his jokes, tall tales, or a positive word. He loved visiting with everyone from family and friends to the Fed Ex delivery person. Howard had an unending sense of humor and a fun loving nature. People just truly liked him; he was one of the “good ones.” Howard was born, raised, educated, worked and lived in the Glendive area his entire life, except for the years he served in the United States Army. The four years Howard spent serving this nation was a very important time in Howard’s life. On day nine in Korea, he was shot in the shoulder. That wound required him to spend a year in the hospital, and the injury caused him many problems throughout the rest of his life. There were times that the pain in his shoulder would cause the scars of the stitches he had received to stand up and be counted. Howard received a Purple Heart, but it was a long time in coming; Howard had to fight to receive it. Howard was a proud veteran of the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1953 with a rank of Corporal. It was during Howard’s time in the army that his relationship with Joyce developed into marriage. After Howard’s injury and recovery from being shot, he was then stationed in California. Joyce and a friend decided to drive to California and visit Howard. They had no idea how to find a military man on a large base, but they managed to get through the gates, find people who could find Corporal Howard Kinsey, and bring the surprised Howard to see his visitors. Howard and Joyce planned to tie the knot in California, but Howard received orders to be stationed in Alaska. Joyce returned to Glendive; Howard followed on a furlough, they were married on September 4, 1952, and spent ten days together before Howard was shipped to Alaska to finish his tour of duty. Howard returned to Glendive and began working for Montana Dakota Utilities. His job took him away from home, and he had enough of that, so Howard worked at the Husky Truck Stop for many years, and then for Midland Lumber and for Valley Motor Supply. These jobs weren’t the highest paying jobs, but Howard never complained. He had an excellent work ethic; he knew nothing was free in life and you had to work for everything you got. He worked hard and knew his tools and mechanics. Howard didn’t spend all day, everyday at his job, but he was called nights and week-ends by people who knew him to bring parts and fix vehicles stranded on the road. And he always responded. Howard never turned down an opportunity to help someone else. There were times when Howard would take in families who had been in car wrecks, and when Glendive had flooding, he would take in families whose homes were flooded. Howard was a good man. Howard and Joyce raised a large family, a daughter, Pam, and five sons, Bruce, Randy, Tim, Chuck, and Clarence. For Howard, family came first, and they were his greatest accomplishment. Son Randy says, Howard was more than a father and grandfather, he was a teacher and a friend. Howard greatly influenced his children and helped form them into the people they are today. And if Howard thought the grandkids were great, he felt the great-grandkids were even better. Howard taught the kids, grandkids and great-grandkids how to twist a wrench, change oil in a vehicle, shingle, and as great-grandson Dillon stated, he showed you what tool does what job. They learned to haul hay, and because Howard loved animals, they learned to take care of the animals first, before breakfast or anything else that might seem important. Grandson Anthony started coming every summer to stay with grandpa and grandma, and Howard would let him drive the riding lawn mower to the mailbox and pick up the mail. All the kids loved the riding mower. When Mike was a baby, Howard would hook the cart to the mower and put Mike in it and drive around the yard to get Mike to go to sleep. Howard taught his kids to hunt. Clarence and Tim said their dad would nail one tag on the garage and when it was filled, hunting season was over. Randy recalls one special night hunt with his father. Everyone was in their underwear and boots, carrying flashlights and guns, hunting skunks that were living under the porch. Randy remembers getting two of the critters. Summer vacation for Howard and Joyce was to load the kids into the station wagon with the Coleman camper and head to the Black Hills, Yellowstone, or Glacier Park. Glacier was a favorite because they would pick cherries and chokecherries. Howard loved chokecherry syrup. Howard was a pretty mild-mannered man, slow to anger, but watch out if you did get him angry. Joyce claims in 58 years of marriage, they only argued twice. Joyce says she argued all the time, but Howard only argued with her twice. The kids say Howard would do whatever Joyce wanted. And he would not allow anyone to disrespect Joyce, or “Mom” as he called her. When discipline was being handed out, Howard would hide behind the newspaper, and if needed, would finally bark out one line of instruction to end it. Pam recalls one family car ride through Pine Unit. She and Bruce were fighting. Howard pulled over on the road and let them out of the car, and drove off. Pam and Bruce were crying on the side of the road, the other kids were crying in the car, and finally Howard turned around and went back and picked up Pam and Bruce. When the kids would show up at home after they had been drinking, Howard would send them down to clean the chicken house. Howard didn’t waste many words on discipline. On Sundays, Howard would get out the clippers and a bar stool and his boys would get their haircuts, or as they put it their heads shaved. Somehow, Clarence managed to escape this tradition. A favorite family memory is the fun they all had on the many 4th of July holidays. Family and friends would get together for the parade, a bar-b-que and fireworks. Howard would start growing a beard during the winter to ride horse in a posse in the 4th of July parade. After the 4th, he would shave off the beard. The family would get the horses out for the parade and ride also. This would be followed by a large bar-b-que. Dick and Myrtle Effertz were close friends of Howard’s and Joyce’s, and part of the get-together. Howard and Dick would be in charge of lighting off the fireworks. Sometimes, things didn’t go as planned. One year, the torch they were lighting the fireworks with tipped over and instead of an aerial show, it became a ground show, with everything going off at once. When the smoke cleared, there was Howard and Dick curled up into balls, with their heads covered, trying to avoid going up in fire and smoke with the fireworks. Howard always knew how to have a good time. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren enjoyed his sense of humor, his jokes and doing things with him was just fun. Howard loved to have them around. Howard enjoyed many things during his life. He and Joyce loved to dance. Favorites were the polka, schottish, waltz and two step. Pam says when they danced they looked like one person. Pam and the granddaughters learned to dance by standing on top of Howard’s feet. Howard loved country western music, a favorite was Roy Rogers, and when music was playing, his foot would be tapping. The kids chipped in and bought him a record player, something they came to regret a bit. On Sundays Howard started the day early playing all the old time country singers, and listening to them all day, and everyone else got to listen right along with him. His hobbies were agates, and woodworking. He and Joyce would pick agates, Joyce would tumble them, and Howard would cut them and make windchimes and butterflies from the agates. His woodworking creations included baby cradles, rocking chairs, and rocking horses. Howard enjoyed his beer and horseshoes. And he always looked forward to a good rodeo. In his early days, Howard would ride bucking broncs in some of the small local rodeos. The picture on the front of Howard’s memorial card is of Howard riding bronc in a rodeo. Howard was a horse lover. He broke many horses in his day, and he enjoyed helping with the horses Joyce’s uncle John had. Howard had a pure black horse called Smokey that was a favorite. During these last years, sometimes Howard’s medication would disorient him and he fell out of bed a couple times. When asked what had happened, Howard would just say that Smokey had bucked him off. Howard’s favorite dog was named Lepp. After Lepp was gone, Howard would sometimes sit in his chair and reach down to pet Lepp. A meat and potatoes man, Howard did have a sweet tooth. He liked chocolate cake, rhubarb pie, and ice cream. He kept hard candies in his pick-up, and black licorice and whoppers in the drawer by his chair. He loved peanuts, and once his great-granddaughter, Shay, and Howard were in Costco and picked up a large bag of mixed peanuts. Howard asked Shay for the peanuts and she gave him a handful, and that was the last he saw of the bag. When he had a treat with the grandkids or great-grandkids, they would have bowls of peaches, and he would have pears. Another treat for Howard was crushed soda crackers in milk. In 1989, during the Montana centennial, Joyce decided to try to have a family reunion. Howard had many relatives in eastern Montana and of course, some had moved to all parts of the country. There were many Howard had never met. He was skeptical that anyone would come. Joyce did it anyway, and 350 family members showed up, got acquainted and re-acquainted, and had a grand time. It was a raging success, and Howard was hooked. The reunions continued and he had the best time he could have at them. As has been mentioned, Howard had an ongoing sense of humor and his family could write a book on just his one liners. The following are a few that Howard would say over and over. “amon sufficiency bellyful” meant he wasn’t hungry. “Ede wacoon chick a saw” he brought back from Korea which essentially meant “get your behind back to the house. When asked where they were going, Howard would reply, “going up salt creek to see Morton”. “Take your time going, but hurry back.” “See you in the spring if I make it through the mattress.” “Bring it up again and we’ll vote on it after someone burps.” When someone was getting in a vehicle, Howard would say, “if you can’t get aboard, get a plank.” When answering the phone he would greet you with, “Kelly’s pool hall, 8 ball speaking.” If asked his name, he’d reply, “I’m Cliff, drop over sometime.” Just recently, when meeting a local doctor for the first time in the hospital, the doctor asked his name and Howard told the doctor, I’m Adolf Guggenheimer.” The doctor did a bit of a double-take. Howard had his attention. Upon learning of Howard’s death, the doctor e-mailed Joyce that he too would miss “Mr. Guggenheimer.” That last story exemplies the impression Howard could make on people. People just liked Howard and he stuck with you, no matter how well you knew him. Howard was memorable. These last few years of Howard’s life were difficult ones. With cancer, chemo and high cholesterol Joyce became Ol’ Hawkeye to Howard, making him do the things he needed to do to get as healthy as he could. He also called her Lash LaRue because she would “crack the whip” when it came to treatment and therapy. Even the nurses at the hospital sent Lash LaRue a Christmas card at Christmas. Joyce wanted to keep her man around as long as possible, because as Joyce said from her heart, “honestly, Howard was the best there ever was!” Son Clarence has always been so impressed with the fact that no matter where he went, Baker, Dickinson, Circle, Miles City, when people realized he was Howard’s son, they always spoke of Howard with such great respect. Pam says even at the end of his life, her father always kept his sense of humor and could make you smile. The respect and love family, friends, and all who knew Howard had for him is a great tribute to Howard and the life he lived. “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” Although he will be greatly missed, Howard Kinsey will remain and live on in the hearts of many. Please spend time with your own personal memories of Howard as you listen to a song chosen by his family, “Wings of a Dove” Song: “Wings of a Dove” Reading: Celebrant “The Value of Life” By Doug Manning The value of a life cannot be judged by the words that pass our lips. It isn’t what we say. Nor can the value be based on belief systems, accepted or rejected. It isn’t what we believe. Our value is found in the person we become. It is the “who we are’ that matters. The kindness that does not need to be turned on, and just seems to be there. The honesty that happens without thought and is the expected response. The acceptance of others without conditions, and no one is surprised. The love that loves in spite of and through it all, and is as natural as breath. These are the true values of life. Howard had that kindness, that honesty, that acceptance of people, that on-going love, and he sprinkled it with his own brand of humor and fun and gave it to everyone around him. Those gifts are noticed and cherished. “To have lived well, laughed often, and loved much To have gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children To have filled a niche and accomplished a task To have left the world better and to have appreciated earth’s beauty and not failed to express it To have looked for the best in others and to have given the best of yourself That is achievement. Thank you, Howard for sharing your life, your achievements with us. Let us listen to the song, “Family Bible”. Song: “Family Bible” Closing: It is an important day when we stop to bear witness to a person’s life and times among us, the difference his living and dying has made among family and community, and to take time to express our grief, our hope, our memories. Thank you for being here for this important time. The significance of Howard Kinsey’s life on this earth runs deep and will influence generations to come. His life journey has left more love in this world than there would have been without him. He brought joy and laughter to many. Joyce, Pam, Bruce, Randy, Tim, Chuck, and Clarence and all of Howard’s family, as your friends and community, we grieve with you and we grieve for you. As friends, let us continue to let Joyce and all of Howard’s family know what an important person Howard was in our lives by sharing stories and memories of Howard with them both today and in the coming weeks and months. During his life journey, Howard touched many lives, many hearts. Just as each fingerprint is unique, no two the same, it is the same for the impact that our life has on others. Each of us has a unique soul and every time we come into contact with others, we leave our soul print. As you are ushered from your seats, you are invited to leave your fingerprints, your touch, upon Howard’s casket to remain, blend together and forever signify the impact and soul print his wonderful life has made on your soul. Your touch upon this casket is that of friendship in honor of this life and to the belief that “a life shared is a life never to be forgotten.” Song: “I Want to Stroll Over Heaven with You” Handprint ceremony, family first Howard Clarence Kinsey Committal Service Dawson Memorial Cemetery Glendive, Montana July 19, 2010 Military Honors: Glendive Honor Guard Celebrant: “Final Fight” A precisely folded flag, A rifle salute fading away, Then the lonely sound of taps, Tells us a soldier has gone away. His earthly battle is over; We know he gave his best, Gone is a defender of freedom; We weep as he is laid to rest. Our land became the greatest, Because of soldiers like this one, Who remained faithful to the end, Who would not quit until the fight was won!” As we say our good-byes to Howard Kinsey, we recognize that our sadness comes because we will miss his physical presence in our life. We will miss his smiles, his jokes, his stories. We will miss sharing experiences and conversations with him. We will miss him as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend. Although Howard’s body may no longer be with us, Howard’s spirit lives on in us so long as memory lasts. “To live in hearts that love is not to die.” In committing Howard’s body to this hallowed ground, we do so with deep reverence for that body as the temple, during life, of a unique and beloved personality. We place Howard’s body in this gentle earth which has been our chief support ever since human beings walked beneath the sun. To all human beings, to all living forms, the soil has ever provided the sustenance that is the stuff of life. To this good earth we now give back the remains of our loved one. Here Howard’s remains will rest. In days to come, we will visit this place to remember more vividly. As we leave today, we leave in thanksgiving, not regret, for Howard’s life was full while he was among us. Touched though we are with sadness, as we consider Howard’s life, we are filled with memories, happy and sad. That Howard has lived, what Howard has experienced, can never be taken from him or from us. For this we are grateful. May Howard’s memory remain in us and bless our going out and coming in from this day forth. Perhaps you have heard the phrase “pennies from heaven.” Howard’s family will be placing a penny with Howard as they say a final good-bye. This penny symbolizes that they are sending their thoughts and love with him. As they go about life and find a penny in an unexpected place at an unexpected time, they will know Howard is thinking of them and sending a special hug to them. If any of you would like to leave a penny with Howard, please feel free to do so. Howard’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren will also be placing flowers on the casket to honor Howard and the special grandfather & great-grandfather he was to them. Howard Clarence Kinsey, may you rest in peace. Song: “Happy Trails”

Howard Clarence Kinsey

December 2, 1929 - July 19, 2010

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Howard Clarence Kinsey

December 2, 1929 - July 19, 2010

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

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