Lois Mae Wilkening Kinney, 86, resident of Coeur d Alene Homes Assisted Living, departed this earthly life on May 17, 2014.  

Lois Mae Kinney was born in Granite Falls, Minn., on June 18, 1927, to Walter Wilkening and Mabel Plath Wilkening. She married Ralph Kinney on May 16, 1948, and they made their home on a farm outside Wood Lake, Minn. 

In the ensuing 66 years after their marriage, Lois and Ralph lived in Casper, Wyo., Sparks, Nev., Lake Tahoe, Nev., Mesa, Ariz., and, ultimately, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Following their retirement, Lois and Ralph enjoyed traveling the United States sightseeing and visiting family and friends. In addition to camping and travel, Lois's hobbies included gardening, cooking, and spending quality time with her children and grandchildren.

Lois loved the Lord and devoted much time in service to the various Lutheran churches in each community in which she lived, teaching Sunday school and singing in the choir. During her years in Idaho, she was a member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Rathdrum.

Lois is survived by her loving husband, Ralph, and their four children: Mark (Marsha) Kinney, of Queen Creek, Ariz., Susan (Gary) Baker, of Dalton Gardens, Idaho; Debbie Ash, of Boulder, Colo., and John Kinney, of Carson City, Nev., brothers: Robert and Walter Wilkening; sister, Sharon (James) Opheim; eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2:15 p.m., Wednesday, May 21, at Coeur d’Alene Homes, 624 W. Harrison Ave., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, with a reception following. Yates Funeral Homes has been entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Please visit Lois’s online memorial and sign her guestbook atwww.yatesfuneralhomes.com.