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Mr. Leslie Kenneth Kinney, age 85, passed away Friday, June 2, 2023, at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. Services will be held Saturday, June 10, 2023, at Plains Baptist Church in Plains GA, with Visitation starting at 10:00 am followed by a Memorial service at 11:00 am with Dr. Buck Kinney officiating. Les Kinney was born on April 15, 1938, to Lowery Buck Darby and Floyce Davis Griffin and was later adopted by his stepfather James Kinney. He married the love of his life, Martha Zayne, on April 7, 1956, and they relocated to Kansas, where he served in the Air Force as a Staff Sargeant and Chief of a Strategic Air Command bomber loading crew from 1955-1959. While still in Kansas, they had their first of four children. With his love for cars, Les soon began drag racing which turned into a successful 40-year competitive racing career alongside other careers. He was a highly decorated and record-holding driver who was inducted into the SDRA Hall of Fame in September 2020. These were the first of many accomplishments Les would earn in his lifetime. His next endeavor was owning and operating an original BurgerKing / Kinney’s restaurant in Albany, GA, where he became very influential in the community and in the lives of his employees. Mr. Kinney worked at various motor companies as a salesman after the sale of Kinney’s in 1979, retiring in 2006 from Southeastern Freight Lines after 26 years with the company.

As the patriarch of his family, Les led his home with hard work, tireless devotion, a firm hand, a giving heart, and prayer. Nothing made him happier than loving Martha, with whom he shared over 66 years before her passing in December 2022. Aside from loving Martha, he loved his family, especially time spent working on cars and motorcycles with his sons and enjoying his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mr. Les Kinney was a Godly, generous, influential man who will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

He is survived by his children Keith Kinney(Tammy), Beth Davis(Terry), Kevin Kinney(Sally), Buck Kinney(Beth); his brothers Robert Kinney(Kim), Hil Kinney(Theresa); his sister Sue Kinney Langlois, his grandchildren Rick Davis(Dana), Kelly Davis Matthews, Jessica Bennette(Buddy), Maggie Moore, D.T. Peek(Hope), Austen Peek(Leanne), Cecil Kinney(Lindsey), L.K. Kinney(Kristen), Darby Kinney, Kolden Kinney, William Kinney and 15 great-grandchildren and a sixteenth due in October 2023.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Martha Kinney; his brother Jimmy Darby; his sister Marie Darby; and his parents.

 In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Plains Baptist Church, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, or Wound Warrior’s Fund.

 To sign the online guest book and share your condolences with the family, please visit aldridgefuneralservices.com. Aldridge Funeral & Cremation Services 612 Rees Park is in charge of these arrangements.