Kay K. Kins, 77, of the Yaak

Kay Kenneth Kins peacefully laid his head in his wife’s lap on Monday, March 10, 2014, and took his last breath. It was such a loving way to leave this world, ending his two-year battle with a rare form of skin cancer.   

Kay was a gentle soul, a talented, one-of-a-kind man we all loved so much.  

In May 1936, Kay was born in Eureka to Angie (Doble) and Harry Kins.  He grew up in many beautiful areas in Lincoln County, like Rexford, Warland and Libby.  

Kay married Catherine Helen Barney on Sept.14, 1958. He was drafted and stationed in Hawaii when their first daughter, Kris, was born. Two more children followed, Kim and Ken.

Kay and Cathy celebrated 50 years together with a gathering of family and friends at the Yaak Tavern in the summer of 2008 and at the time of his death, they had been married more than 55 years.  

For 36 years, Kay worked for St. Regis/Champion, where he took pride in his work. He had an incredible work ethic, rarely missing shifts. Kay was a creative and inventive man and many of his innovations improved the filing processes in the mill.  

Kay’s dream was to live in the Yaak and in the early 1970s he and his wife bought property just down the river from the Dirty Shame. There he built a cabin on the river bank.  

Upon retiring in 1996, he and Cathy moved to their cabin where they have lived ever since. Their property was a place for family and friends to pull their campers up, stay for the long weekend and enjoy campfires next to the river. Kay always had a fishing pole dangling in the river. By the end of the day he would usually have a pan-sized trout or two.

Though he was a man of few words, Kay had a great sense of humor. All who knew him enjoyed his dry wit. Kay was a jack-of-all-trades and always had works in progress. From the ground up, he built his Libby family home as well as their residence in the Yaak.  

He had a love for classic cars using his mechanical skills to restore them. Kay and son, Ken, worked side by side on his favorite, a 1937 Chevy Coupe.  

Kay was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Angie Kins; mothers- and fathers-in-law, May Barney Robertson and Albert Barney; sister-in-law, Jane Mellem.

Kay is survived by his wife, Catherine; daughters, Kris (Mike) Mengonand, Kim (Todd) Dixonall of Butte; son, Ken (Paula) Kins of Juneau, Alaska; sisters, Shirley (Leo) Reyes and Yvonne Kins; sisters-in-law, Marje (Paul)  Robinson and Bonnie (Don) Westfall; brother-in-law, Doug Mellem; grandchildren, Reid (Heidi) Schmadeka, Krystin (Kelly) Mengon Lee, Kayla (Josh)  Dixon Stearns, Michael Dixon, Kody (Julie) Kins and Kourtney Kins; great-grandchildren, Joseph, Kali and Sebastian Schmadeka, Tocher and Miner Lee, Bridger and Berklie Stearn and numerous nieces and nephews.  

Local arrangements are under the care of Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home of Libby.  

A memorial service will be planned at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that persons make a donation in Kay’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or a charity of the donor’s choice.