Born January 17, 1923, to Edward Lough Kinzer and Evelyn Estelle Kinzer and raised in Halstead, Kansas, Dr. Kinzer moved to Longmont in 1939 and graduated from Longmont High School in 1941 and was in the National Honor Society. He spent a year attending the University of Washington (19411942). Then he decided to return home to attend his beloved University of Colorado Boulder (1942). He was in the U.S. Army Air Corps/Air Force (1943-1946) at Lawson General Hospital, Gulfport Air Force Base, in Georgia. During that time he married his “honey” – Majorie Middaugh – in 1944. He also returned to the University of Colorado Boulder (19461948) and graduated with honors from the Business School of Pharmacy. Dr. Kinzer attended University of Colorado School of Medicine (19481952) again graduating with honors as an outstanding student in Pathology. Dr. Kinzer then had an internship in the U.S. Army (1952-1954) at the Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. He then spent 1953-1954 in the Armed Forces Examining Station in Ft. Omaha, Nebraska.

In 1954 he was guided to Johnstown where a doctor was needed, and he stayed a while. Dr. Kinzer had a very successful practice, delivering most every child and saving most everyone’s life at one point or another; always with the dedicated help of Marge of course, who was nothing short of a special person herself.

After retiring from his family practice in Johnstown in 1992, Marge and Dr. Kinzer became missionaries and traveled to Mozambique, Southeast Africa, to work in the Chicuque and Cambini Rural Regional Missionary Hospital 1993. They also worked in the Medical Outpatient Clinic, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, West Africa, before eventually returning to Johnstown with a home also in Boulder.

Dr. Kinzer and Marge had three children. He was preceded in death by both his wife, Marge, in 2004, and his son, Bruce, in 2010. Dr. Kinzer leaves behind many other beloved family members including his younger sister, Roberta, of Boulder.

In his later years Dr. Kinzer was introduced to Doris Anstey through friends. It was through Doris that Dr. Kinzer enjoyed life again, creating many additional friends in Venice, Florida. They played Bridge, attended various celebrations, traveled and grew older together. Dr. Kinzer would say that Doris was such a kind-hearted woman with southern charm. He lost Doris in December of 2020, and his need to return to his farm in Johnstown was immediate.

His accolades and positions within organizations are far too many to mention, especially within the medical field. He was a grand supporter of education, Africa’s medical needs, underprivileged children, wildlife migration, and the protection of native birds and fish. Dr. Kinzer’s interests were religion, family and friends, practice of medicine, outdoor activities: fishing, fly tying, farming, photography, travel and playing Bridge. His absolute favorite pastime was sitting on his front deck “watching the world go by.” His favorite flower was the sunflower, and when it came to music, his favorite singer was Anne Murray.

Many of his longtime friends will forever miss him. There are no words to describe such a life well lived. He was 102. There will be a Celebration of Life Memorial Service at 3 p.m. May 8 at the Johnstown United Methodist Church with a reception to follow in the hall, please join us. Dr. Kinzer will then return to his family garden of remembrance in Kansas. We were all lucky to have him on loan for so long….