Dick Ray Kinser

Dick Ray Kinser died November 21, 2018 in Long Beach, MS. He was born April 4, 1923, in West Columbia, Texas, to George and Bessie Kinser, the second of four children. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary; his parents, George and Bessie Kinser; and his two brothers, George and Jerry. Dick had been married to Mary since October 25, 1946. He is survived by one daughter, Debra, of Jackson, MS; a sister, Betty Bittner and her children and grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Sandra, and her husband Bob Weidman of Tumwater, WA; and her children and grandchildren. Dick finished Gulfport High School in 1941 and attended MS State one year before joining the Navy. He was commissioned in 1943 as a pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps where he served during World War II and the Korean “Emergency” until 1952. He continued as a Reservist in the Marine Corps. When Dick returned to civilian life in 1953 he continued his education on the GI Bill, earning a B.S. Degree from L.S.U., Baton Rouge, LA in 1955 and then later he and Mary went to Richmond to attend the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (then ATS) and earned their Master’s of Religious Education in 1958.While there, Dick and Mary, and their 19 month old daughter along with one other married couple who had two small children lived in the girl’s dorm. Dick’s job was to stoke the furnace and lock up the dorm at night. From there they went to Batesville, AR, where Dick served as Dean of Student at Lyons College (then Arkansas College) until 1971. One of the joys he and Mary enjoyed in 2009 was hearing through Face Book and e-mail from so many of their Lyon College students who are now mostly retired, and have children and grandchildren. While in Batesville, Dick and Rev. Jerry Otwell, the Batesville Episcopal minister, were instrumental in starting a mental health association that became a fully staffed seven county program. In 1971 they moved to Long Beach, MS and both taught at Pass Christian Middle School during which time Dick went to night school at the University of Southern Mississippi-Gulf Park campus to receive elementary education and Administration degrees in 1976. From 1978-1981 Dick was President of Chamberlain-Hunt Academy in Port Gibson, MS. Upon returning to the coast he served as Assistant Principal at Hancock County North Central and the Principal of the North Central Elementary School in Hancock County until he retired in 1986. After retirement he continued to serve faithfully in the work of the church and in community services; member and President of Friends of the Library, Long Beach; Memorial Hospital Hospice Program; and others as listed below among his charities. He was a member of the Order of the Daedalians (a military pilot’s organization) and the Marine Corps League. He served as Director of the Long Beach Literacy (Reading) Program for many years. He served on the Long Beach Civil Service Commission for a number of years, until he resigned in 2012. His wife often teased him, saying, “You can’t earn your way into the next life. You know Jesus has already done everything for you.” His reply: “I am a James man: Faith without works is dead.” Dick was intentional about opening himself to God through participation in the worship and work of the churches he attended and through individual practices of Bible reading, prayer, and deeds of compassion. So if you want to give a memorial in his memory, here are some of his interests with addresses: The Long Beach Food Pantry, BOX 508, Long Beach, MS. 39560; Feed My Sheep, 2615 19th Street, Gulfport, MS, 39501; Ocean Springs-Long Beach Interfaith Hospitality, BOX 8562, Biloxi, MS 39535; Gulf Coast Rescue Center, 9750 Mission Lane, Biloxi, MS 39531; and the First United Methodist Church of Long Beach, BOX 375, Long Beach, MS 39560. A Celebration of Thanksgiving for Dick’s life will be held at the graveside at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Gulfport at 1:00 pm on Saturday, December 1, 2018 with honor by the U.S. Marine Corps. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street Gulfport is in charge of arrangements.