Oliver H. Kinzie, lifelong Cushing resident, local businessman and community leader, passed away early Saturday morning, June 7, 2014, at his home at the age of 89 years.
The son of the late Oliver D. Kinzie and Beulah Morgan Kinzie, Oliver was born on May 9, 1925, in Cushing and was raised and educated in Cushing, graduating from Cushing High School with the class of 1943.
He was united in marriage to Phyllis Olwin on December 25, 1945, in Cushing and to this union four children, Allen, Kent, Kris and Sheree’, were born. Phyllis preceded him in death on June 11, 2010 after 65 years of marriage.
Oliver took over operations of the Kinzie Hometown Dairy upon the death of his father, O.D. Kinzie. Between the dairy, delivering milk to local residents and businesses, owning and operating the Dairy Hut and the Steer Inn Family Restaurant, he had worked in this area all of his life.
He was a current member and Deacon of the First Baptist Church; a former member and District Moderator for the Church of the Brethren. Oliver had served as FFA National President 1944-1945; a Honorary member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity; Past President of the Cushing Lions Club and the Cushing Chamber of Commerce; a Cushing Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award recipient; a past member of the Cushing Board of Education and also the Sunnyside School Board; a longtime member of the Payne County Excise Board; a former member of the American Jersey Cattle Company Board of Directors; involved with the Payne County Premium Sale; a member of the OSU Agriculture Education Scholarship Board; a former member of the Mutual Aid Association Board of Directors and honored as a Payne County Farm Family of the year.
Oliver will be remembered for his hospitality at the Steer Inn, making sure all children left with a sucker and many families will recall the joy he brought being Santa Claus.
Surviving include his children, Allen Kinzie and his wife Cynthia of Mannford, Kent Kinzie and his wife Annette of Stillwater, Kris Kinzie and his wife Denise of Cushing and Sheree’ Fielding of Cushing; his grandchildren, Jason Kinzie and wife Ryan, Macy Hollingshead and husband Blake, Avery Kinzie, Kaid Kinzie, Olivia Porter and husband Matt, Kristopher Kinzie and wife Haley, Amanda Turner and husband Matt, Dr. Jessica Zwanziger and husband Dr. Brian, Dr. Chloe Butts and husband Matt and Dr. Claire Moore and husband Jonathan; great-grandchildren, Callie and Carsten Kinzie, Cash, Miles and Penelope Porter, Emery, Ella Kate and William Ford Turner, Harper and Violet Zwanziger and Maxwell Butts.
In addition to his parents and wife, Oliver was preceded in death by two sisters, Minnie Holderread and Gladys Gosney, and one son-in-law, Dr. Jeff Fielding.
Funeral services will be Thursday, June 12, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. in the First Baptist Church with Pastor Keith Moore, Pastor Marvin Kehl, Pastor John Holderread and Dr. Jack Pritchard officiating.
Burial will be in the Big Creek Church of the Brethren Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the OSU Ag Ed Scholarship Program, 3401 N. Rose Road, Stillwater, OK, 74075, or to the Cushing Community Food Pantry, P.O. Box 187, Cushing, OK, 74023.
You may share your condolences with the Kinzie family at www.davisfh.net.
Services are under the direction of the Davis Funeral Home.
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