Cearley Read Kinard

Cearley Read Kinard, 98, passed away on Friday, February 20, 2015. Death was at home in his apartment, at the Wesley Court Retirement Community on Antilley Road, under hospice care, after a six week long slow decline following influenza and pneumonia. A memorial service, followed by a reception, will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2015, at 4:00 pm at the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander Street, Abilene, Texas. His ashes will be scattered at the family home on Spring Creek near Almont, Colorado, at a later date. Cearley was born on April 29, 1916 to Donald Leonard Cearley Kinard and Lottie Read Kinard in Memphis, Texas. He graduated from Memphis High School as class valedictorian and editor of the school paper in 1933. In 1937 he graduated from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, where he took courses in journalism and accounting, worked on the school paper, was editor of the yearbook, The Bronco, played intramural football, and played clarinet in the Hardin Simmons Cowboy Band. The great depression influenced his college years, when he needed to work part-time, forging a strong work ethic. He received a master's degree in accounting from Columbia University in 1938. Cearley married Jane Guinn in 1939, and they had two children. He began his business and professional career as a junior accountant with the firm of Price Waterhouse in New York City from 1938. He received certification as a Certificated Public Accountant in New York and Texas. World War II changed his career path, and he returned to Abilene in 1941 to work at Camp Barkley Military Exchange as an accountant. In 1943 he joined J.C. Hunter in the oil business at the Hunter Oil Company. He enlisted in the army and while he was waiting to be called to active duty, the war ended. Cearley then joined Horace Condley to form the firm Condley & Kinard. Cearley was the second CPA in Abilene. In the 1950's, he was a partner in the B & B Parkway Food Store Company and subsequently an executive with H. O. Wooten Grocery Company. He returned to public accounting in 1957, establishing the firm of Kinard & Kinard with his brother, then Kinard, Watson & Kinard, then Kinard & Company, and, finally, by merger, formed Davis, Kinard & Company in 1970. During the 60's he was also a co-owner of the Kinard Beck Construction Company. He retired in 1981. Among other business involvements, Cearley served on the Board of Directors of the First National Bank for 29 years and on the board of the multi-bank holding company, that is now First Financial Bankshares, for 19 years. He was on the board of the West Texas Utilities Company for 19 years. Cearley's many civic activities included serving as president of the Kiwanis Club of Abilene in 1948 and as president of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce in 1968. He was Mayor of Abilene from 1961 to 1963, one of a series of business-leader mayors seeking to establish a sound managerial and financial foundation for the city. Cearley was active in the Abilene Speaker's Club, the Alzheimer's Foundation, the United Way of Abilene, the Community Foundation of Abilene, Sears Methodist Retirement Incorporated and the Abilene Community Theater as President. Memberships included the Abilene Country Club and the Petroleum Club. Cearley was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, where he served on the Vestry and as Senior Warden. Colorado was a significant place to the Kinard family. In 1925, Cearley's father first went to Colorado with a group of men fly fishing. He returned with his family the following year beginning many years of family camping in Taylor Park in the Gunnison National Forest. Cearley and Jane bought a house on Spring Creek for their 50th anniversary in 1989. He went to Colorado most summers for over 88 years. Cearley and Jane traveled the world with family and friends from 1968 to 1989. Jane died in 1998, after 59 years of marriage. Cearley loved outdoor activities, particularly dry fly trout fishing and golf. Towing a ski boat to area lakes, the family spent water ski day trips together in the 50's. Hunting (for dove, quail, duck, deer and elk) was a major interest in his life; he was still shooting dove at age 98 in south Texas. He married Ruby Caldwell in 1998. He joined Ruby as a member of Saint Mark's Episcopal Church. Cearley and Ruby enjoyed travel, especially by cruise ship. Ruby died in 2014 after 15 years of marriage. Cearley is survived by a son, James Cearley Kinard of Columbus, Ohio, and a daughter, Janet Kinard Heyne and her husband, Fred J. Heyne III, of Houston, his sister, Geraldine Kinard Gailey of Lubbock, and his brother, Dwight Lewis Kinard, and his wife, Miggie Graham Kinard, of Abilene. He is also survived by six grandchildren, six great grandchildren, two step children and two step grandchildren and three nieces and three nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Community Foundation of Abilene, 500 Chestnut Street, Abilene 79602, 325-676-3883 or to the charity of your choice.