Randall Kinsey

Randall E. Kinsey “Bulldog” December 6, 2024 Randall E. Kinsey, 60, of Foley, Alabama, passed away peacefully at his home on Friday, December 6, 2024, after a 5-year battle with cancer. He is survived by his loving wife, Mary Kathleen (Lewis) Kinsey, devoted daughter Amber Morgan Kinsey, her partner Tristen VonKanel, grandson Samuel Morgan Gene VonKanel, step children Abigail Garcia and her husband Edgar and daughter Evelyn Rose, Colton Holmes and his wife Cammy and children Laiyn, Jolene, and Scotty, and Mason Holmes, father Edgar “Gene” Kinsey and stepmom Sandra Kinsey, sister Kimberly Cleveland and brother-in-law Ryan Cleveland, sister Andrea Thurman and brother-in-law Chad Thurman. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He is predeceased by his loving mother Donna Kay Geci and stepfather Eugene Geci, maternal grandparents John and Mildred Chrisman, paternal grandparents Elmer and Stella Kinsey, and sister Melissa “Missy” Hardesty. Randall was born on December 15, 1963, in Foley, Alabama. Other than the four years he spent in the Army, just out of high school, from 1982-1986, as an E4 small arms weapon’s specialist, he lived in the same home, built by his maternal granddad and his father in 1968. He loved his home. He would often say “A man’s home is his castle.” He could still remember his granddad handing him a hammer and nails as a five-year-old boy, letting him hammer a few nails in the home they were building. People often found it amusing when they learned he lived on Perfection Road, since that’s an interesting and fun street name. Randall would simply say, “where else would Mr. Perfect live?” You could tell how long or in what context Randall knew someone by what name they used. If it was “Randall,” you were likely family or had known Randall since childhood or from school. If it was “Bulldog,” you knew him from his days on the CB radio or in construction, where he worked for a time with his dad as an electrician. If it was “Randy,” you knew him later in his life, as that is how he introduced himself online and in person. He was an avid collector of things he liked or found interesting or valuable. His daughter, Amber Morgan, was born on August 7, 1997. That became a very special year to Randall as many of his collections revolved around that year. As a child, he was captivated by all things in nature, from animals to plants to rocks. As an adult, his love of special things filled his life with a lot of enjoyment and fulfillment. He collected guns, blue willow china, turn of the century Singer sewing machines, Harley Davidson motorcycles, 1897 and 1997 Morgan silver dollars (thus Amber’s middle name), with his most recent collection and hobby being Dr. Grabow pipes. For a couple of years, he raised more than 90 hens, calling the brood his “Pampered Hens.” He sold fresh eggs to friends and acquaintances, as well as quail eggs. He always said his mind was full of useless facts about all of his collections and hobbies, but most people found his detailed knowledge interesting and worthwhile. He said he learned more about the fall of the Roman Empire from coin collecting that he ever did writing an essay about it in school. If he was interested in a topic, he would spend hours reading, learning, and recalling facts about his interests, checking out books from the library as a young boy, and researching on the internet as an adult. His mind was a sponge. His ability to recall facts and tidbits was truly a mark of his high intelligence and incredible memory. While Randall was stationed at Fort Carson, in Colorado Springs, CO, after being in South Korea and Germany, he bought his first Harley Davidson, a Sportster. He rode it rain or shine (or snow), and that didn’t change when he came home. Even here in the south, he rode no matter the weather. He enjoyed working on them, riding them, reading about them, and even buying stock in HD as proof of his love for the brand and his ability to make money. It was a two-fer! He often half-way joked he was a stockbroker, and he got paid to drink beer and ride motorcycles, since his passion for the stock market led him to buy stock in Anheuser-Busch and Harley Davidson. He loved those dividends! His love for the Lord was evidenced by his strong sense of integrity, loyalty to those he cared about, and his sometimes-brutal honesty. If you didn’t want to know the truth, you probably shouldn’t ask him because he’d tell ya! He had a way with words, both spoken and in writing. He was always ready and able to speak about his reverence for the Lord and encouraged others to have the same reverence he did. He thanked God every day for another day and would ask God for forgiveness and strength as he faced another one. He said he could worship the Lord anywhere, but felt especially close to Him in nature, God’s creation. For many years, Randall raised Amber as a single dad, calling her his #1 girl. He described her as sweet, smart, and talkative. They shared a love of animals, especially cats. He and Amber nursed their cat “Midnight” back to health after a litter of kittens. His gentle care brought her back from the brink of death and she remained a cherished pet for many years. They would often use the metal detector on the beach to look for “treasures.” He taught her to ride dirt bikes, work on cars, care for horses, how to tell one plant from another, stand her ground, and shoot guns, but just couldn’t let himself let her win at the video game Mortal Kombat. Randall raised Amber to be strong, honest, and a defender of others. She is proof of Randall’s strong character and intelligence, evidenced by her own professional and educational accomplishments. You would be hard pressed to find a man who loved his mama more than Randall. Donna was the light of his and Amber’s lives until her untimely death from Leukemia in 2004. It would be fair to say she remained his guiding light beyond her death, as well. He often spoke of her love, care, and devotion, and the special place she had in his heart. He was lamenting to his mama one day asking her if he would ever find someone right for him. She replied that someday he would find someone just right and perfect for him. Her death left a huge hole in their hearts, one that was later mended by his wife Mary. He often joked he got his “hot California girlfriend” and wife off of EBay, but it was through a communication forum on EBay that he and Mary struck up a friendship. After emailing, talking long distance, and meeting in person, she moved to Alabama in 2010, with her children Abigail, Colton, and Mason. In 2012, they married. He would tell anyone who would listen, Mary, his wife, was his blessing from the Lord. They could be found often at The Office Lounge or the American Legion socializing with friends and dancing to his favorites, such as George Jones, Conway Twitty, and many others. They spent hours playing pool, Randall often remarking after Mary played a good game, but he still won, “I taught her everything she knows, just not everything I know.” Randall spoke about his maternal grandma and paternal granny affectionately. He spent a lot of time with both as a child. His mama and grandma would take him shopping with them when he was a boy (not his favorite activity), but it was a good day when they made it to Sears, as that store had a sporting goods section, where he could browse the fishing rods and lures, guns, and tools. He couldn’t get over how two women could try on every dress in the store! His granny lived next store to him. He said she spoke about spiritual things and taught him about things in nature. He said she would pay him to mow her grass, which took him all week after school with a push mower! By the time he finished, it was time to mow again. He had good memories of both his grandmothers. His childhood best friend is his cousin Paula. She lived just across the field from his home, and they would spend hours in the woods, building forts and playing with toy tractors in the dirt. Paula’s dad, his Uncle “Nig” was a big influence on his childhood, often teaching him “manly” things, like mending fences, tending to cows, the value of a dollar, and love of country. Paula holds a very special place in Randall’s heart, as cousins are often described as our “first friends.” She came to Randall’s bedside at the end of his life, professing God’s love for him and her own, ministering to him. It could be said she brought some of the greatest comfort to him in his final days. His sisters Kim and Andrea also brought love, understanding, and great comfort, praying for him and sharing God’s word with him. His daughter Amber spent his final night caring for her daddy all night long, never sleeping. His wife Mary remained his greatest comfort, caring for his needs daily and loving him until his final breath. She spent many hours reading to him from “Jesus Calling,” a devotional book from Jesus’ perspective, sharing the message of hope in Christ, despite his illness. Randall was not big on belonging to clubs or organizations, but rather was more of a loner, walking to the beat of his own drum. His quiet confidence was, however, very attractive and intriguing to people with whom he came in contact. His tattoos, simple manner of dress, and a nickname like “Bulldog” left people curious, which led to him being very memorable, even if not formally introduced. He could spend hours talking to a complete stranger or a close friend. He was intensely private, yet open to conversation with anyone. He was a great conversationalist, often telling stories in vivid and humorous detail. Those who encountered him found him to be genuine and wonderfully unique. He would often remark he is just a simple country boy, but he is so much more than that. His love for God, country, and his family will be his greatest legacy. He is special to so many – he is the “Big Dog Bulldog, down around Southern Alabama” - a true American Original! GRAVESIDE SERVICE: Thursday December 19,2024 11am Wynn Cemetery in Summerdale Al In lieu of flowers, donations in Randall’s name can be sent to the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery Foundation, Inc., 34904 Alabama Highway 225, Spanish Fort, AL 3652 The Foundation is a separate, nongovernment, nonprofit organization which promotes the mission of the cemetery and supports other veteran organizations, activities, and programs which promote the welfare of veterans and commemorate the honorable service provided by veterans

Randall Kinsey

December 6, 2024

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Randall Kinsey

December 6, 2024

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