Rothwell Jay Kinney

Former Bainbridge Island resident Rothwell Jay Kinney, 85, of Sedro-Woolley, died April 18 at Birchview Memory Care Center.

He was born Sept. 8, 1920, in Lincoln Neb., to Russel and Hazel (Rothwell) Kinney.

The family moved to Blaine, Wash., when he was a child. Growing up, he enjoyed playing football, boxing and getting into fights.

The family moved to Portland, Ore., where Roth graduated from U.S. Grant High School. He attended Duke University in Durham, N.C., graduating with degrees in both English literature and business. While attending Duke, he played college football.

From 1941 to 1946, he served in the U.S. Navy as an officer.

He married Nan Heughan on Aug. 25, 1950, in Seattle. In 1953, the couple had their first child, Jan, followed by Jay in 1955 and Bill in 1957.

Roth was first employed as an executive trainee at Seattle First National Bank and eventually as a career planner for Bernard Haldane Career Counselors. He also worked as an administrator for Boeing, the University of Washington and the Washington State Medical Association.

Roth moved to Bainbridge Island in the 1970s, where he lived on his sailboat for many years. Some of his favorite times included serving as a Boy Scout leader, sailing and fishing Puget Sound and the Queen Charlotte Islands, hiking and climbing “The Tooth of Time” in central New Mexico, traveling via cruise ships around the world, relaxing on Waikiki Beach and watching college football and basketball.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his three sisters and his wife, Nan, in 1994.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Jan and Steve Hendrickson of Mount Vernon; sons and daughter-in-law Jay and Maria Kinney of Placerville, Calif., and Bill Kinney of Kennewick; grandchildren, Beth Ryberg of Oahu, Hawaii, Bryan Ryberg of Portland, Ore., Aaron Kinney and Kelley Kinney, both of Los Angeles, Calif., and Anne Kinney of Novato, Calif.; and two former spouses, Gail Maclean and Adele Lloyd.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. April 29 at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, with interment at Port Blakely Ceme­tery, followed by a reception.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Skagit Hospice Foundation, P.O. Box 1376, Mount Vernon, WA 98273. Arrangements are by Evans Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Inc., Anacortes.