Barbara Ann Kinney, 78 of Charlotte, passed away on Thursday January 10, 2019 at her residence.   Barbara was born April 5, 1940, the seventh of nine children to the late Daisy Bethea Kinney and Russell (Kent) Kinney in the Dunbar Community of Clio, SC.

She attended the public schools in Clio and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1958.  From there, she attended Barber Scotia College in Concord, NC and later graduated from South Carolina State College in Orangeburg, SC in 1964.  While at South Carolina State, she and others were arrested for being civil rights protestors. She strongly believed in equal rights for all and getting a good education.

In 1966, Barbara moved to California where she met Edgar Williams.  From this union her son Patrick was born.  This she referred to as her greatest accomplishment.

Barbara always had a strong faith in God, which helped her survive two bouts of breast cancer.  She was converted at an early age at Asbury United Methodist Church in Dunbar, SC.; was a member of Inglewood United Methodist Church in Inglewood, CA and later joined Plaza United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC where she served faithfully in many areas.

Teaching was her passion.  Barbara worked as a teacher at Bursch Elementary School and Vanguard Middle School in the Compton Unified School District.  In the 1990's she transferred to Parmelee Avenue Elementary School in the Los Angeles Unified School District.  She dedicated over 30 years to teaching students.

Family history was also very important to Barbara.  In her retirement years, she faithfully served her Church and did extensive genealogical research for her family and many other families.  She co-authored a book in 2007 entitled: Do You Know How to Light Your Pipe? In 2015 the title was changed to: Bethea-Ivey-Kinney Ancestors.

She was preceded in death by her parents Daisy and Russell; her siblings: Viola (Maude) Kinney Hayes; Chester Kinney; Magnolia (Penny) Kinney Edens; Theodore (Ted) Kinney; Bettye Russell Kinney, and Maxine Kinney Gilmore.

Left to cherish her memory are: her son, Patrick Bovier Williams (Tamara Jackson Williams) of Maryland; two grandsons, Patrick Dante Williams of New York and Justin Williams of Maryland; one sister, Sarah Kinney Dutton of Charlotte, NC; one brother, Emanuel Kinney of Columbia, SC; one brother in-law, Joseph Gilmore of Charlotte, NC, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.