Mary H Kinser

Mary Kinser was born August 25, 1922 in Bienville, LA to John and Iva F Hays. Mary earned a B.S. Degree with majors in Mathematics and History from LSU in Baton Rouge, LA. She taught Math and History in high schools in Louisiana and NC. She taught at Spencer Business College in Baton Rouge and was manager of Spencer Business College in Lafayette, LA at the time she met and married Dick Kinser. They went to NC where Dick was on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps. They adopted a daughter in 1955 and in 1956 they went to Richmond, VA to attend the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, where they each earned a Master’s of Religious Education. They then moved to Batesville, AK where Dick was Dean of Students at Lyons College (then Arkansas College) and Mary was Director of Christian Education for the Batesville Area Larger parish of the Presbyterian Church and then professor of Bible and Christian Education at Lyons College. During 2009 they began to hear via Facebook and e-mail from some of their former students many of whom are now retired, have children and grandchildren. They both expressed great joy in knowing of the accomplishments and activities of these former students. They moved to Long Beach in 1971 and Mary taught Sixth Grade Math at Pass Christian Middle School from 1971-1978 and Reading from 1981-1986 when she retired. Mary is survived by her husband of 72 years, one daughter, Debra, of Jackson, MS; one sister, Sandra Hays, her husband, Bob Weidman and two sons and their families; her deceased brothers’ families; one sister-in-law, Betty Kinser Bittner of Gulfport and her three children and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, John C and Iva F. Hays; and her two brothers, John C. Hays, Jr. and Sidney F. Hays, all of Baton Rouge. Memorials may be given to “The Well” which is a community outreach to the “de-churched” by First United Methodist Church of Long Beach, P.O. Box 375, Long Beach, MS 39560. (The Well holds a worship service at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday at Fleming Auditorium on the campus of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park Campus to bring the message of Christianity to those on the coast who do not attend church) or to Ocean Springs-Long Beach Interfaith Hospitality, Box 8562, Biloxi, MS 39535, which is a program for homeless families on the coast. A service of Celebration and Thanksgiving will be held at the graveside at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Gulfport on Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements view and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com Mary Kinser was born August 25, 1922 in Bienville, LA to John and Iva F Hays. Mary earned a B.S. Degree with majors in Mathematics and History from LSU in Baton Rouge, LA. She taught Math and History in high schools in Louisiana and NC. She taught at Spencer Business College in Baton Rouge and was manager of Spencer Business College in Lafayette, LA at the time she met and married Dick Kinser. They went to NC where Dick was on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps. They adopted a daughter in 1955 and in 1956 they went to Richmond, VA to attend the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, where they each earned a Master’s of Religious Education. They then moved to Batesville, AK where Dick was Dean of Students at Lyons College (then Arkansas College) and Mary was Director of Christian Education for the Batesville Area Larger parish of the Presbyterian Church and then professor of Bible and Christian Education at Lyons College. During 2009 they began to hear via Facebook and e-mail from some of their former students many of whom are now retired, have children and grandchildren. They both expressed great joy in knowing of the accomplishments and activities of these former students. They moved to Long Beach in 1971 and Mary taught Sixth Grade Math at Pass Christian Middle School from 1971-1978 and Reading from 1981-1986 when she retired. Mary is survived by her husband of 72 years, one daughter, Debra, of Jackson, MS; one sister, Sandra Hays, her husband, Bob Weidman and two sons and their families; her deceased brothers’ families; one sister-in-law, Betty Kinser Bittner of Gulfport and her three children and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, John C and Iva F. Hays; and her two brothers, John C. Hays, Jr. and Sidney F. Hays, all of Baton Rouge. Memorials may be given to “The Well” which is a community outreach to the “de-churched” by First United Methodist Church of Long Beach, P.O. Box 375, Long Beach, MS 39560. (The Well holds a worship service at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday at Fleming Auditorium on the campus of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park Campus to bring the message of Christianity to those on the coast who do not attend church) or to Ocean Springs-Long Beach Interfaith Hospitality, Box 8562, Biloxi, MS 39535, which is a program for homeless families on the coast. A service of Celebration and Thanksgiving will be held at the graveside at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Gulfport on Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements view and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com