It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of William “Bill” J. Kinane of Logsden, OR. Bill passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, with family by his side.
Bill was born in Poughkeepsie, NY on March 14, 1953, to William Joseph Kinane and Josephine Ann Kinane (McIntyre), both deceased. He spent his childhood roaming the countrysides of Salt Point and Clinton Corners, New York with his beloved dogs. He attended F.D. Roosevelt High School in Hyde Park, New York, where he was a star athlete in baseball, hockey and captain of the football team. After graduating in 1971 he attended Maine Maritime Academy, in Castine, Maine, where he played football, graduating with his Bachelor of Science in 1975. Many fond memories of his college days and traveling abroad were shared over the years and he remained a proud and supportive MMA Alumni to the end. His first major career as a merchant marine would bring him to Coos Bay, Oregon to work for Sause Bros. Ocean Towing, where he would begin to build his roots on the Oregon coast. There were two things he wanted to be in life, either a tugboat operator on the Columbia River, or a fire fighter, and as life would play out, his dreams of becoming a fire fighter came to life in Newport, Oregon.
Spending 26 years dedicated to serving his community as a firefighter for the Newport Fire Department, most will remember him as that, the remarkable leader and mentor that he was. Beginning his career as a volunteer in 1979, he went on to become a paid engineer/EMT with Newport Fire in 1984. Over his next 21 years he would go on to build some of his closest friendships within the department, sharing moments of laughter and deep-discussion over coffee (or beer for those off-duty hours!), to facing the emotional hardships and struggles that only those in the field know and understand. As a good friend and co-worker would share, “through it all, he was more than competent and levelheaded, he kept cool under stress, worked hard and took pride in his job…and was always available to help others”. In 2005, he would hang up his turnouts and eagerly begin the life of retirement.
While his time with the NFD defined many of his years, he was much more than that. From deep sea diving to bag pipe playing, dog training to line dancing, if there was an interest or passion in anything, he would learn it and value it. In his 20 years of retirement, he would go on to enjoy these passions and more. Becoming a reputable foster home for Border Collies, where he would spend hours training them to their full herding ability, or finding the perfect home for the ones who desired home life over farm life; to spending weekends away reenacting the Civil War with his 69th New York Regiment, Irish Brigade; to never missing a day of practicing his bag pipes, but through it all, his most beloved passion was building the family homestead with his beautiful wife of 32 years, Kristy. With a bountiful garden, orchards, and honeybees buzzing, together they created a place for the family to gather, where the memories created run deep and will continue for decades to come. His presence will be missed dearly.
Bill is survived by his wife Kristy (Smith) Kinane; children: Katie Kinane Steele (Scott), Megan Kinane Hosmer (Richard), Kayla Kinane, Michael Kinane (Danielle); step-children: Jacob Berg (Kristin), Josh Berg (Bronwynn), Rebekah (Berg) Freels, Megan (Berg) Ostby (Trevor), Katy Berg; his sister Nancy (Kinane) Harwood and brother James Kinane (Valentina); and his many grandchildren who held a very special place in his heart.
He is preceded in death by older sisters Catherine Ann (Kitty) Kinane, Jo Ann (Kinane) Smith, and younger brother John Kinane.
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