William "Bill" Ellwood Kinney

William (Bill) Kinney passed away in Tempe, Arizona on December 18, 2016 after a short battle with cancer.Bill was born April 24, 1949 in Midland, Texas to Ellwood (Bill) and Mary Kinney. The Kinney family moved to Show Low in 1956 where Bill attended Show Low Elementary School and later Snowflake High School.In 1967 Bill enlisted in the Army and served until 1971. During this time, Bill completed a tour in Vietnam with the Casper Aviation Platoon, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, as a paratrooper. He was awarded two Air Medals for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. He and his crew completed over 50 successful operational flights during which exposure to enemy fire was probable and expected. He was also awarded a Bronze Star Medal for heroic and meritorious achievement. Bill was a proud Vietnam Veteran and maintained friendships with many of his fellow Vietnam comrades.After his stint in the Army, Bill entered the field of construction and became a highly skilled heavy equipment operator. Bill earned the respect of those he worked for and with and many became lifelong friends.He is survived by his son W. Ryan (Tara) Kinney and grandson Wyatt James; his mother Mary V. Kinney; his sister Kathleen (Michael) McGuire, his niece Jessica (Russell) Hall and great nephews Jayden, Gabriel and Ethan; his brother Jeffrey Kinney, his niece Chelsey and great nephew Tahj; his sister Kristeen (Marlo) Thomas, his nephew Marshall (Michelle) Johnson and his great nephews Elijah and Uriah; his nephew Jerrod (Sherry) Amator and nephew Miles (Ashley) McGuire. Bill was preceded in death by his father Ellwood (Bill) Kinney and nephew G. Jason Amator.A visitation will begin at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, December 23, 2016 at Owens Livingston Mortuary, 320 N. 9th St., Show Low, Arizona. Funeral services will follow at 1:00 p.m.  Graveside Services at Show Low Cemetery will follow. Bill lived a blessed life to the fullest and he touched the lives and hearts of many. He will be dearly missed.