Remembering Ed Kinney Remembering Ed Kinney (May 06, 2005)@takesideshead:He was everyone's friend

by Ken Mercer

For a lot of folks who have moved into Pleasanton in the last few years, you probably are asking yourselves, "So who is Ed Kinney? Why would anyone be writing about him?"

Take it from those of us fortunate enough to really know Ed: You don't know what you missed. Ed was the kind of person everyone wanted as a friend, and almost everyone he met became a friend.

Ed and his family moved to Pleasanton in 1968. I first met the Kinneys in 1969 when we moved in across the street from them. Ed came over, introduced himself, and a friendship began. He always had a "dumb" joke, always found a way for me to buy lunch, and always filled my life with smiles and cheer. Whenever we went anywhere, it seemed that Ed knew everyone.

Ed ran for City Council and served as Mayor. How fitting that his campaign emblem was the "smiley face"! He also served on the Zone 7 Water Board, but that's not where his community spirit and efforts ended.

If you have ever attended a parade in Pleasanton, chances are you have heard Ed announce it. You may not have known who it was, but it was Ed. He did the Alameda County Fair Parades, the Good Guys parades, and it is said that if you got three groups to come together he would announce it as a parade for you.

God bless Ed Kinney, one of Pleasanton's finest husbands, fathers, and citizens. His memory may fade with time, but not the wonderful feelings and accomplishments he created. Ed exemplified unselfish giving with nothing asked in return! (Ken Mercer, Pleasanton's longest-serving mayor, is Vice President of ValleyCare Health System.) @takesideshead:He truly set an example

by Bob Philcox What a special gift it is to have had Ed Kinney as a friend. I am certain that everyone who called him "friend" feels a great loss in his passing.

In all aspects of his life, Ed truly set an example. Whether it was his civic duties, his church life, his professional career, or his boundless love for family and friends, Ed embraced us all with his special brand of love and compassion, neatly packaged in his own endearing style of fun and humor.

Always smiling, upbeat, and ready to lend a helping hand for any good undertaking, Ed earned his many affectionate titles: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Pleasanton, Mr. Parade, and Smiling Ed were just a few. He loved the spotlight and didn't hesitate to take center stage. Ed seemed to have a passion for anything he put effort into, and he could organize an event, chair a meeting, visit a sick friend, and sell you a house, all at the same time.

Ed's faith was his foundation. He seemed to know that everything was going to work out just fine, and it did. He lived a good and honest life. Ed wouldn't hesitate to pray when he felt the need. He didn't have to tell you that he loved you - you just knew it. The smile, the infectious laugh, the hug all said, "I am a happy man who enjoys what I do."

There is a void in Pleasanton today, an empty space that will last a long time. A friend has passed, and we all mourn that passing. God bless you, Ed Kinney: We will miss you, and you will always be in our hearts. (Former Mayor Bob Philcox has been a leading banker and investor in Pleasanton for more than 50 years. He is now retired.)

E-mail a friend a link to this story.