Michael Lynn

Kinser

Michael Lynn “Mike” Kinser, 83, of Louisburg, Kansas, passed away on Saturday, November 7,

2026.

Born May 3, 1943, to L.E. and Ina Lucille (McKeane) Kinser, Mike grew up in a large family

alongside six siblings. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 1965 to

1969, during the Vietnam War, serving as a radioman. His four years in the Navy became one

chapter in a life filled with stories, adventures, and more than a few unexpected turns. Following

his military service, Mike pursued a career in education, where he found his calling as a teacher

and coach.

Over the years, Mike coached football, basketball, track, and wrestling, sharing his love of

athletics with generations of young people. He believed in hard work, determination, and a

healthy dose of competition. That passion didn't stop at the school doors. He took tremendous

pride in the athletic pursuits of his children and grandchildren, always eager to encourage their

competitive spirit and celebrate their accomplishments.

Mike was never short on a good story, and some of his best were the ones that left you

wondering just how much was true. A lifelong competitor, he claimed to have once joined the

Harlem Globetrotters for a practice when they came through town. And his appreciation for

Westerns apparently extended beyond the television screen, at least according to the story of the

time he met Clint Eastwood and the two faced off in a marble-shooting competition. How Mike

came to be playing marbles with Clint Eastwood, or who walked away victorious, may forever

remain a mystery. But that was part of the charm of Mike's stories. He could deliver the

extraordinary as though it were perfectly ordinary, leaving everyone else to sort out the details.

Whether entirely true, slightly embellished, or somewhere in between, those stories became part

of the family lore, and will undoubtedly be retold with the same mixture of affection,

amusement, and healthy skepticism.

A man of many interests and talents, Mike also built several houses over the years. He enjoyed

working with his hands and seeing a project take shape, leaving behind not only memories but

homes he had helped bring into being.

He was an avid Kansas City Chiefs fan, enjoyed a good Western, and possessed an irreverent

sense of humor that kept those around him on their toes. Mike wasn't one to pass up an

opportunity for a joke, and he appreciated a good laugh, particularly when he was the one

responsible for it. Later in life, he also became active in his church community.

Mike is survived by his wife, Phyllis (Neighbors) Kinser, whom he married in 2022; his children,

Stephanie Falciani, Michaelle (Charles) Lancaster, Danielle Kinser, Richard (Cris) Kinser,

Stephen (Amanda) Kinser, and Megan Kinser; his grandchildren, Marcus (Teresa), Miguel

(Emily), AJ, Aleksey, Isibel, Clark, and Kade; his siblings, Leonard Kinser and Deloris Brown;

and extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents, L.E. and Ina Kinser; his siblings Kenneth Kinser, Joan

Eyestone, Raymond Kinser, and Richard Kinser; his former wife, Janice Kinser; and Eli Romero.

Mike leaves behind a lifetime of stories, a family that carries on his competitive spirit, and the

lasting influence of a man who spent much of his life teaching others to give their best. He built

houses, coached athletes, cheered for his Chiefs, and never lost his appreciation for a good story

or a well-timed joke.

And somewhere among all those stories, there might just be a little truth about the Harlem

Globetrotters and Clint Eastwood.

The family will gather privately at a later date to celebrate Mike's life and share memories.