March 28, 1944 – September 1, 2019
Jerry Warren “Smiley” Kinkead, 75, Sheridan, passed away on Sunday morning, September 1, 2019 at Riverview Health in Noblesville. Born March 28, 1944 in Sheridan, he was the son of the late Ray and Annabelle (Snyder) Kinkead.
Smiley was a self-taught man, always tinkering with things from the time he was old enough to hold a wrench. Taking things apart, putting them back together, and trying to figure out what made them do, well … what they do was all part of what made Smiley good at what he did.
During his younger years he left school early to help work with his family on the farm. When he was old enough, he hired on at the tomato canning factory and later went to work for a lawn mower assembly plant.
In the ‘60s, Smiley purchased a house with enough room behind it for a shop to do his tinkering. The house would become the home where he would raise his family, and the space out back would become Kinkead’s Garage. A little bit of everything happened in that shop – bodywork, restoration and a whole lot of solving the problems of the town, county, state and the country. Working on cars and tractors wasn’t the only thing Smiley was good at; hanging out in the garage with his friends and family, swappin’ stories was also part of his daily routine. A lot of fabricating was done in that garage, and very little of it had to do with anything automotive.
Smiley loved his family. One of his favorite traditions during holiday gatherings was going hunting with his brothers. He loved family cookouts and the card games that usually accompanied them. Smiley followed Indy Car racing and pro wrestling; Dick the Bruiser and the Dudley Brothers were his wrestling favorites. When it was time to relax a little, he and Bev would watch Smiley’s favorite TV programs, usually old Westerns like Bonanza, Gunsmoke and The Lone Ranger.
Smiley was a 50-year member of the K.V. Elliott Post 67 Sons of the American Legion in Sheridan.
Smiley is survived by his wife, Beverly Irene “Bev” (Mulder) Kinkead, Sheridan. She and Smiley were married November 19, 1965. Also surviving are his two sons, Johnny Ray Kinkead and Terry Warren Kinkead (Lisa), both of Sheridan; six grandchildren, Dawn Marie Kinkead, Anthony Ryan Isaacs, Melisa Denise Isaacs, Jacob Warren Kinkead, Jasmine Danielle Kinkead-Diaz and Timmy Wayne Kinkead; four great-grandchildren, Chandler Ray Harris, Landon Kinkead, Dimitri Woods and Jahseh Christopher Woods; three brothers, Larry Kinkead, Sheridan, Rex Kinkead (Roberta) of Florida and Randy Kinkead (Marilyn), Sheridan; and one sister, Marlene Burroughs (Ronald), Sheridan.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Anna Marie Kinkead; two brothers, Kevin R. and Charlie Kinkead; his sister, Marcia Ann Kinkead-Melvin-Duncan; and sister-in-law, A. Jannett Kinkead.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 7, 2019 at Kercheval Funeral Home, 306 E. 10th St., Sheridan, with visitation from noon until the time of service. Burial will follow at Wright-Bethel Cemetery in Waugh, Ind.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be presented to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, or to Kercheval Funeral Home, P.O. Box 42, Sheridan, IN 46069, to help the family defray funeral expenses.
Arrangements
Calling: Noon to 2 p.m., Sept. 7
Service: 2 p.m., Sept. 7
Location: Kercheval Funeral Home
Condolences: kerchevalfuneralhome.com