Kent Arden Kinsinger passed away peacefully on July 16, 2022 at the age of 72 at his home in Apalachicola Florida. Kent was born October 11, 1949 in Bluffton, OH to Charles Kinsinger (deceased) and Treva Stauffer Kinsinger.
His mother survives in Pandora Ohio. His siblings include a sister Pauline Kinsinger Edie (Michael) Watts of Lima OH, and brothers Mark Kinsinger of Pandora OH and Clair Kinsinger of Mt. Cory, OH. Also surviving are four nephews, Mike (Teresa) Kinsinger of Pandora, Matt (Andrea) Kinsinger of Findlay, Jason (Tammy) Kinsinger of Pandora and J. Paul Edie of Fremont. Kent is also survived by special friends and neighbors, Mark and Natalie Parsley of Apalachicola. In addition he is survived by many great nieces and nephews.
Living his retirement years in the city of Apalachicola, FL, Kent had a signature everyday look that was all his own, from the long hair and beard to flip flops or old worn out shoes. He enjoyed his boat and fishing until Parkinson’s took away his ability to bait a hook and more recently dealt with the ravages of bladder cancer. Kent lived life on his terms with no regrets.
Kent was active in the Bluffton Boy Scouts where he earned Eagle rank as well as received the Order of the Arrow. He was a lifeguard and loved being near water. He served in the United States Navy onboard the U.S.S. Enterprise and spent time onboard a PT boat in Vietnam. While serving on the U.S.S. Enterprise, he also crossed the equator which earned him the rare certification of Ancient Order of the Shellbacks and Honored Order of Mossbacks. After discharge from the Navy, he spent the next year living a nomadic lifestyle traveling coast to coast in his VW “Hippie” Van.
Kent worked a variety of jobs which fit into his wander-lust personality. He taught Iranians how to drive 18-wheelers in Tehran, Iran, for the White Motor Freightliner Company. Upon returning to the U.S., he drove a semi for North American Van Lines, where he was honored as a Van Guard driver. He enjoyed the outdoors and served as a cross-country camping tour bus guide for Trek America, where he gave tours through various National Parks. During that same time period, he also was a river guide on the Colorado River. He worked for a season as a snowplow operator clearing tens of feet of snow from roadways in the Snoqualmie Pass in the State of Washington. His longest employment was that of heavy equipment operator for hazardous waste site cleanup. He was known as “the King of the double stick” because he could handle a CAT 215 excavator like a physician handles a scalpel. He answered to the nickname “K2.” He also was a very knowledgeable trader and loved talking about his investments.
Kent was an avid NASCAR fan and met several race car drivers. His biggest NASCAR milestone was driving an actual NASCAR four laps around the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s known as the “Richard Petty Driving Experience.” He enjoyed restoring vehicles which included a vintage Ford pick-up and a couple of Austin Healey’s. He could fix most anything.
Kent has requested his body be cremated. While there will be no formal funeral service there will be a small gathering of his beloved “Porch Pirates” to celebrate his life at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to Covenant Care Hospice Panama City through their website at Donate Now (choosecovenant.org)
“May you rest easy, in fair wind, and calm seas. For those of us left behind, the vast unmarked grave which is your home now is of no consolation. Peace be with you now!”
