- Date Of Birth: May 7, 1948
- Date Of Death: April 22, 2023
- State: North Carolina
Robert (Bob) John Kinkaid was born on May 7, 1948 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Bob was the son of the late Andrew David Kinkaid and Blanche Geneva (Sausen) Kinkaid. He grew up in Wernersville, PA. Bob graduated from West Reading High School in 1966. He then attended Reading Business Institute (RBI) where he earned a Certificate in Higher Accounting in 1969. While at RBI, he met the love of his life, Rose (Flicker) Kinkaid. He started working in an apprentice accounting program with Continental Can which moved him to PA, MO, GA, NC, and CT over several years. Bob earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Western Connecticut State University in 1983.
Bob was baptized as a young adult at First United Church of Christ in West Reading, PA. Throughout his adult life, Bob was a very active member of several churches including Conyers First United Methodist Church (UMC) in GA, Danbury UMC in CT, New Fairfield UMC in CT, Gainesville UMC in VA, St. Thomas UMC in Manassas VA, Pittsboro UMC in NC, and New Salem Baptist Church in Pittsboro NC. He gave his life to Christ while living in Georgia. At the time of his death, he was a member of New Salem Baptist Church in Pittsboro, NC. In these churches, he sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and Awana, and participated in Bible study groups. His gentle nature drew children to him for hugs and laughs, and he lived out Jesus’ example of letting the little children come to him. Dedication to God was an important part of his life.
Bob and Rose made many friends as members of the Madhatter’s Square Dance Club in Danbury, CT, and various clubs in Virginia and North Carolina. He and Rose were active in Marriage Encounter for 15 years, both in local groups and as weekend leaders. This involvement strengthened their marriage and led to deeper commitments to God and each other. Bob was friendly and outgoing, and he would strike up a conversation and make friends everywhere he went. His conversations frequently led to Jesus as he wanted all to know and love Jesus the way he did. During his cancer treatment, he strengthened his commitment to sharing Christ with others.
The joy of Bob’s life was his family. Bob and Rose were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bechtelsville, PA on December 28, 1968. He deeply loved his wife, to whom he was married for more than 54 years. He was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother. He enjoyed watching baseball and playing golf with his grandsons. He was very proud of his granddaughter’s musical accomplishments, and his grandsons’ achievements in the Boy Scouts. Especially when his children and grandchildren were little, he loved being a “Papa pillow” to provide them with love and comfort. Although his immediate family was spread across the country, he really enjoyed vacations with them to St John USVI, Myrtle Beach, and the Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain.
He loved camping whether it be in a tent or camper, and several family trips included camping, boating, or swimming. The only boat he ever owned was a small sailboat, but he had a dream of owning a large sailboat. While he never met that goal, he had several friends who took him sailing and he rented motorboats. He loved piloting a boat with his family on camping trips or with his daughter’s family on the St. Croix River in MN. If there is water in Heaven, I’m sure he’s standing at the helm of a boat, smiling with the wind in his hair. As the Irish Blessing goes, may the wind be ever at his back. Another of Bob’s hobbies was woodworking, and he did many family projects such as helping his grandsons with their Pinewood Derby cars, home improvement projects, teaching his daughter to build cornhole boards, and building sets for a local vacation Bible school.
Bob lived his life in Christian witness to the love and saving grace of his Savior, Jesus Christ. Bob was pre-deceased by his parents, his paternal grandparents Andrew Cather and Mae (Brown) Kinkaid, and his maternal grandparents William and Marie (Weis) Sausen. He is survived by his three children, Tracey Kinkaid Slayton (David) of Stillwater MN, Stephanie Kinkaid White (Alan) of Apex NC, and Bob Kinkaid (Lorryn) of Plaistow, NH. He had 8 grandchildren – Jennah Slayton, Jonathan Slayton, Samuel Kinkaid, Deacon White, Derek White, Skyler Kinkaid, Lucas Kinkaid, and Andrew White. He is also survived by siblings David Kinkaid (Patricia), Sandra Barker (Wayne), Linda Schlouch (Barry), and Alan Kinkaid (Denise).
