Obituary index

Joyce Kinzie

[September 30, 2010]  LINCOLN -- Joyce Kinzie, 74, of Lincoln, died Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.

A memorial visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, with Pastor Phil Blackburn officiating.

Mrs. Kinzie was a business owner. She owned Buckles Motel, Mr. Donut, The Gem Restaurant, Maple Club and Vintage Fare.

She was born March 29, 1936, in St. Paul, Minn. Her parents were Arthur and Bessie Latuff Prohofsky. She married Melvin Kinzie on May 12, 1955, in St. Paul, Minn. He preceded her in death on Aug. 1, 2006.

She is survived by three children, David (and Nancy) Kinzie of Richardson, Texas, Catherine (and Doug) Tiffany of Lincoln and John (and Natalie) Kinzie of Colleyville, Texas; two brothers, Roy (and Rosemary) Prohofsky of Eden Prairie, Minn., and Dennis (and Sandra) Prohofsky of Maplewood, Minn.; one sister, Delores (and Steve) Burger of Kansas City, Mo.; four grandchildren, Solomon Willis, Caleb Willis, Marina Malamis and Jenna Kinzie; and one great-granddaughter, Corinne Getzendanner.

She was a very active member of First Presbyterian Church of Lincoln, serving in nearly every capacity there.

She was a member and past president of the District 27 school board, a member of Lincoln Junior Woman's Club, League of Women Voters, Lincoln Community Theatre, Main Street Lincoln, Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce, the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital board and many other boards. She was the founder of the Martin Luther King Scholarship program and breakfast. She was a Lincoln Courier Citizen of the Year.

Joyce was an amazing woman. Her mother often said Joyce was her "joy."

From the day she was born, Joyce hit the ground running with a remarkable eagerness and enthusiasm to know and move the world around her. She quickly grew into a confident, resolute woman with an open heart and mind and a rare gift for generosity and kindness.

Grounded in her lifelong faith, Joyce overcame her many challenges with quiet acceptance and unbounded energy. Never seeking the limelight, her wisdom and a genuine concern for others often placed her in it. She humbly excelled in most everything she did. Without reluctance, but with sensitivity, she spoke the truth and confronted the difficult and controversial.

Creating and serving outstanding food was central to Joyce's life. To personally serve and thereby lift up family, friends and strangers with a generous and well-prepared meal (coupled with good conversation) was the driving passion and purpose in her life.

Joyce was blessed to possess a pure heart of goodness. Her unrelenting focus on small gestures of thoughtfulness and concern, and her ability to live every day to the fullest, are worthy examples for all to follow.

Joyce departed this life with complete acceptance and with the knowledge she would soon be reunited with her beloved Mel, and that together they would continue to walk with God through eternity.

The warm embrace of Joyce's love will be sadly missed but will forever be remembered and cherished by the many who were fortunate enough to receive it.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Lincoln, American Cancer Society (for pancreatic cancer research) or to the building fund for Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital and will be accepted at the funeral home.

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