Joan E. Kinney

She was born on November 20, 1923 in Birmingham, England, the daughter of the late Ernest and Lillian (Cope) Whitby.

She was the wife of the late Howard Kinney, who passed away February 9, 2001. Joan met Howard, the love of her life, when he was sent to a military hospital in England after being wounded in France at the Battle of St. Lo, while serving in the U.S. Army.

They were married in Coleshill, England, December 1, 1945. In May of 1946, she came to the U.S. as a British War Bride to begin her new life with her husband.

While living in England, as a teenager, she endured many facets of the horrors of World War II, including the bombing of England for 57 consecutive nights. There she witnessed the burning of Birmingham and Coventry which were key targets of the air raids.

At age 16 she began supporting the Allied war effort by building and repairing the legendary British Spitfire Warplanes for the Royal Air Force, which were pivotal in defeating the Nazi’s in the Battle of Britain.

Joan will be remembered as a kind and gracious lady who was loved by all who knew her. Her family and home were her focus in life and her passing has left a great void that can never be filled.

Besides her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her youngest son, Paul, who passed away August 15, 2019. Her sister, Doris (George) Moss; three brothers, Edward, Brian and Barry Whitby all of England.

She is survived by: her daughter, Carole (late Jack) Parrish, of Philadelphia, PA; two sons, James (Carrol) Kinney and Ronald Kinney, all of Fredonia, NY; her sister-in-law, Annie Whitby of England; seven grandchildren: Alan (Theresa) Parrish, Amy Kinney, Jerry (Andrea) Kinney, Jennifer Parrish Snyder, Sean McCartney, Colleen Johnson and Stephanie McCartney. She is also survived by 5 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation hours are Tuesday, 2-4 p.m. & 7-9 p.m. at the LARSON-TIMKO Funeral Home, 20 Central Ave., Fredonia, where funeral services will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Chautauqua

Hospice & Palliative Care, 20 W. Fairmount Ave., Lakewood, NY 14750. Online condolences may be made at larsontimkofuneralhome.com. Arrangements by David J. Dengler