Keith John Kincer

The dad jokes have faded with the passing away of Keith John Kincer, 88, on Feb. 19, 2025, due to pneumonia and complications of diabetes. Not a pie was served without Keith’s observation: “Do you know how this pie is like my finger?” Puzzled expressions would receive the punch line: “It’s got meringue on it.” His southern pronunciation of meringue made it sound like “my ring.”

Born in Lunar, Kentucky in 1936 to Pauline Bustle and Wilbert Logan Kincer, he hit his stride in high school as a basketball star for Livingston (Ky) High School and Mt. Vernon (Ky) High School. He also met his high school sweetheart Patricia Phillips at age 15. The two of them shared their lives for 73 years.

Keith taught all of his grandchildren how to drive, starting with golf carts at a very young age. As basketball took a toll on his body, he became obsessed with golf and played three or four days a week, and as recently as the week before he died. He achieved seven holes in one throughout his golf career.

He loved University of Kentucky basketball, and the last night he was alert, he asked to watch the UK game on TV in the hospital. The final phone message Patricia left for him in the hospital was the score of the UK basketball game.

Keith loved the Lord and attended numerous churches before helping to start Cornerstone Christian Church of Avon Park (Florida) which he still attended, sometimes singing, sometimes offering a reflection or testimony, and always sharing a bad joke.

Keith worked at Ford Motor Company in Sharonville, Ohio for 30 years. He was passionate about his UAW local union 863. When he retired in 1989, he couldn’t imagine that he would spend more years retired than he had working but he enjoyed every minute of retirement.

Keith is survived by his wife Patricia, four children, Craig (Niki), Paulita (Earl), Kevin (Dawn), and Derek, a sister Clara June, and seven grandchildren, Michael, Hannah, Grace, Spencer, Abigail, Tucker and Caroline, along with six (going on seven) great grandchildren, numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Tammy, his brother Wil and his parents.

Cremation arrangements entrusted to:
Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home
Avon Park, Florida
Online condolences may be left at
www.stephensonnelsonfh.com