Susan Kinney

Susan Yvonne Kinney lost her battle to the one thing she could not beat, cancer, on September 29, 2024, in Princeton MO, surrounded by her children.

She was born August 1, 1946, in Creston Iowa, to Paul and Mary (Canny) Vanderplyum. She was welcomed home by an older sister Willetta (Snookie) George. She attended Grant #7 country school through seventh grade. As a child she enjoyed trips going and staying with her aunts but was always ready to get home for her favorite meals cooked just for her. Any meal that consisted of mashed potatoes and gravy and something sweet to finish it off were her favorites.

She graduated from Mount Ayr Community in 1964. After graduating she worked that summer at Look magazine in Des Moines. She worked in the Research and Statistics office for the Iowa Employment Security Commission as a typist. Susan was united in marriage to John Holmes, August 26, 1967, in Winterset Iowa. To this union, Colby Ryan Holmes, was born in 1972. They lived in Waukee, and she continued various positions with the state of Iowa.  After their divorce Susan and Colby moved back down to Ringgold County to the family farm where she then worked at First State Bank in Diagonal.

In May of 1978, she was married to Bud Kinney and to this union, Renante Suzanne Kinney, was born. She gained being stepmother to Cassie and Beth Kinney. She enjoyed summer trips going to Spirit Lake to get the girls and having them come down and stay. They later divorced.

Susan held many jobs in her life, the woman could do anything she set her mind to. To say she was strong-willed and independent would be an understatement. From building a new deck on the house to replacing the flooring, to cutting down a tree, if she wanted it done it got done, and it was done perfectly. At one point she even owned a dozer, which she hired someone to operate but she could do it herself had she needed to. I think her favorite past time was mowing the yard or cutting weeds. She worked tirelessly all summer outside tending to flower beds full of Iris and other varieties.
Our mother was very strong with her beliefs and wasn’t afraid to say when you were wrong or tell you how the right way to do something was (her way). She was a believer in helping people out who were in need or down on their luck. If she had a job, she couldn’t tackle herself, she would hire someone that needed just a little help to do the job. She took pride in helping people who didn’t have anyone to help them out or had fallen into bad times.

Some of her best memories were made in the 20 years spent with her companion Bob Schaefer. The two went everywhere together and enjoyed many trips all over. Mom and Bob took on the role of babysitters when grandson Soyer came along. Tagging along with them checking cows, crops and daily chats at Boyers with friends was the best daycare a child could have. Bob and Susan enjoyed many trips to the casino with her cousins, Jim and Judy Morris, and Bea Ann and Bill Penn. Susan loved to gamble and would get so excited to call and talk about how their evening had gone.

So many wonderful things can be said about this mother and grandmother. She loved her family and friends almost as much as she loved Elvis. Susan and Bea Ann might hold the record for most Elvis memorabilia and vinyl records owned by one artist. She had the biggest heart and warmest hug but if she gritted her teeth when you were in trouble it wasn’t going to be good for the kid that was acting up, that gesture meant business. She was a loving grandmother, she loved to make the kids their favorite foods. Taking chocolate cake to Colby and Russell in the field.  Making potato salad for Brekk and the girls their favorite pasta salad. She loved to cook everything from amazing fried chicken to wonderful desserts. She was looking forward to the new title of Great Grandma coming up this winter.
Susan is proceeded in death by her parents Paul and Mary Vanderplyum; companion Bob Schaefer; brother-in-law Jim George; cousin Bea Ann Penn.

Left to cherish her memory include her sister Snookie George; her son Colby (Tricia) Holmes; daughter Renante Kinney; nephew Pat George, niece RaNa (Bob) Bailey; niece Shawn (Marty) Cameron; grandchildren Russell (Sara) Holmes, Katelyn Holmes, Soyer Wimer, Brekk, Maryn and Addisyn Illg; and a host of cousins and lifelong friends.
Love Is a Journey That Knows No End.
Services were held Saturday, October 5 at 11 a.m. Armstrong Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.