Leslie Earl Kinney, the son of Earl and Carrie (Zwingman) Kinney was born on October 1, 1916 in Lusk, WY. He attended school at Tilden, Nebraska and graduated in 1935. On August 1942, Leslie entered the United States Army where he served twenty-five months in Iceland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, Germany, and Austria, with the 376th Coast Artillery Battalion, 9th Infantry Division. He supervised fourteen men in the installation, operation and maintenance of telephone and radio communications system. He supervised the laying and maintenance of all communication wires. He operated BD 71 & 72 portable battery powered telephone switchboard and operated SCR 543, SCR 248 and SCR 610, Radio Transmitters and receivers, both voice and code. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement. He was honorably discharged on October 1945.
Leslie was united in marriage to Berniece E. Johnson on December 23, 1941 at Closter, Nebraska, by Reverend Kenneth Anderson of Rosehill Swedish Free Mission Church. They have lived and farmed northeast of Albion their entire married life. Leslie attended the First Baptist Church in Albion. He was also a member of V.F.W. Post #736 in Albion.

On Wednesday, April 18, 2007 Leslie passed away at his home rural Albion at 90 years of age.

He is survived by his wife Berniece of Albion; 5 children: Les Kinney and wife Linda of Bellevue, NE; Debi Weihing and husband Lawson of Papillion, NE; Kristi Pabst and husband George of Long Beach, CA; Jill Pharis of Long Beach, CA; and Kurt Kinney and wife Cindy of Albion, NE; 14 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; along with other relatives and friends.

Leslie was preceded in death by his parents, his two sisters and a son-in-law.

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MEMORIAL SERVICES: 1:00 p.m.

DAY: Saturday, April 21 2007

CHURCH: Albion Evangelical Free Church TOWN: Albion, Nebraska

MINISTER: Rev. Kurt Kinney