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Dr. William “Bill” C. Kinsel
11/13/1931 — 07/10/2013
From Richland, WA | Born in Omaha, Nebraska
Dr. William “Bill” C. Kinsel
Dr. William C. "Bill" Kinsel William Kinsel, 81, husband, father, engineer, and teacher, died in his home on Wednesday, July 10. He was best known in the community as a Professor of Engineering at WSU Tri-Cities, where he has taught for more than 45 years. Bill was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He graduated from Friend High School in Friend, Nebraska, where he met the love of his life, Shirley Ann Wear. Bill and Shirley were married in 1953 while Bill was a radar technician for the army. During his military service, Bill became interested in engineering, a passion that stayed with him for the rest of his life. Bill also had a life-long love of learning. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He helped design landing gear at the Boeing Corporation in Seattle, while completing a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington. He returned to Lincoln to earn a PhD in Engineering Mechanics at the University of Nebraska. With his education complete, Bill moved to Richland in 1966. He worked as an engineer for Battelle Northwest, Westinghouse Hanford, and Exxon Nuclear. He also started teaching at Washington State University Tri-Cities as an adjunct faculty member in 1967, and he later became a full-time professor there. He was still on the faculty at the time of his death. For several summers, he also taught bridge building classes at a camp for underprivileged children in Joseph, Oregon. He was popular with his students, young and old. In addition to working full-time, Bill purchased a 200 acre farm in 1971, where he raised cattle and alfalfa for many years. He combined his engineering knowledge and love of farming by volunteering at the Kennewick Irrigation District KID, first as a board member, and later as KID president. Bill loved classical music, card games with his friends and family, and a good joke. He also enjoyed playing chess and table tennis. Bill is survived by his wife, Shirley Kinsel, his children, Linda Kinsel, Laura Pollard, Mark Kinsel, and Carol Kinsel. He is also survived by his sister Joan Flood and his five grandchildren: James, Ryan, Susie, Miranda, and Kimly. A memorial service will be held for Bill at 2 pm on Saturday, July 20, at WSU Tri-Cities, 2710 Crimson Way, in Richland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the William C. Kinsel Scholarship Fund at USBank.
I met Dr. William “Bill” Kinsel in 1990. He was a very nice man. Always had a smile. I had the privilege of being his student.He always came to class prepared. I will miss him. I still look for him at Sharis restaurant.
I have many fond memories of back yard football with Mark, Mr. Kinsel, and the rest of the neighborhood gang. Like the two dimensional cardboard figures of Bill as a college football player, he was bigger than life on the backyard gridiron. He only had one play. Hut one. Hut two. Go Deep! My condolences to the family.
I met Dr. William “Bill” Kinsel in 1990. He was a very nice man. Always had a smile. I had the privilege of being his student.He always came to class prepared. I will miss him. I still look for him at Sharis restaurant.
I have many fond memories of back yard football with Mark, Mr. Kinsel, and the rest of the neighborhood gang. Like the two dimensional cardboard figures of Bill as a college football player, he was bigger than life on the backyard gridiron. He only had one play. Hut one. Hut two. Go Deep! My condolences to the family.
Bill was the first person I met from WSU. He was influential in my getting first an adjunct professorship at WSU-TC, then in my applying for a position in the School of Mechanical & Materials Engineering at Pullman, which I just started. I would have dearly liked to share in that success with him. I am grateful that he knew the influence he had on me, even if I didn’t get to explicitly express it to him. Bill will be greatly missed by many, myself included.
Bill was my mentor from my first days as a graduate student at WSU Tri-Cities. He did not want to retire until all of his current students had completed their degree programs. He is a role model for anyone who wants to live by serving others.
I am grateful for the opportunity that I had to be taught by Dr. Kinsel. He is the kind of professor you always remember for his depth of knowledge, his passion for his students, and a perpetual smile on his face.
Dr. Kinsel is one of the main reasons I made it through the ME courses at WSU. His patience and understanding allowed me time to grasp and understand the material. He was an excellent professor and a good friend. He will be missed.
We were neighbors many years ago on Sunset St., our children playmates. They were a wonderful loving family. I marveled at the energy Bill shared with all of us. They are all remembered fondly. Betty
As a baker working at Shari’s in Richland, Bill & I became friends. We always talked when he would come in and also, working Sundays, would enjoy seeing Bill bring in his wife and being so sweet and dear to her in her illness. I left Shari’s a 1 1/2 yrs. ago and he will be one of my most favorite memories. He used to always comment how I was the same name as his granddaughter “Susie” not a common name anymore..
It was with great sadness that I learned of Bill’s passing last week. I have known him for over 15 years and considered him a good friend, mentor and fellow Republican. We traded many political jokes and cartoons over the years. Bill encouraged me to run for the KID Board and I had the privilege of serving with him for one year.
Bill was a wealth of information and gave freely of his time. If there was ever anyone who I considered a “class act”, it was Bill Kinsel. He had a major impact on a number of lives in the Tri-Cities. My deep, heartfelt condolences go out to the Kinsel family. May they know he was a good man, devoted to his wife and family and a very special person.
My sincere condolences for the passing of Dr. Kinsel, my dear professor and friend while pursuing my engineering degree at WSU. He will surely be missed.
Bill Kinsel was a great teacher. I had the priviledge of taking few graduate classes taught by him from 1982-84. He had practical aspect of engineering applications that he shared with the students. It was always pleasure to converse with him. He was a great asset to WSU and will be missed by his old and present students community. My thoughts and prayers are with Shirley and family. May God rest Bill’s soul in peace.
I first met Bill through our business. He was such a nice individual to work for and had a great sense of humor. I can remember Monopoly money somehow being used by Bill.
He once told me he had calculated the small amount the Columbia River would drop if it could be tapped for irrigation by our local irrigation district. You could really tell what Bill had a passion about and he was very dedicated.
He was a bright individual and served well our community and its citizens in many ways. He will be missed.
Dr. Bill was a truly remarkable man, professor and mentor. He would share his life experiences and help bring a real-life perspective to learning. I am honored to have known him and will miss him.
Dr. Kinsel was truly a great man. He made classes fun and humorous. He was an advocate for his students and did everything in his power to see to our success. I would not enjoy the standard of living I presently have without his helpful hand in my life. It was so reassuring to have Dr. Kinsel on my side. By the way I recall him having a reference book in his office that his daughter scribbled in as a little girl. He treasured that book. Dr. Kinsel raised the bar for what a teacher should be. There a few that can ever achieve his level. I am so grateful to have had him as a teacher, councilor, advocate and friend. I regret having missed his memorial due to family issues, but could not rest without thanking his family for the great man that he was and is. May God bless and comfort his family at this time. Rest assured, he will have a mansion on high, and will be keeping a watchful eye on his loved ones. I will always remember him throughout my life.
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Dr. William “Bill” C. Kinsel