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Sandra Kay Kinney earned the lines on her weather-worn face, family and friends said, battling alcoholism, riding the rails in West Texas and recovering miraculously, though temporarily, from liver disease.

A mother of two and grandmother of four, Kinney died Sept. 5. She was 56.

Kinney loved to shop, Dumpster-dive and eat vanilla ice cream with brownies. She was often called stubborn by her children and husband, but she always had a smile on her face, they said.

"Sandy had a wonderful smile," said Lloyd Bell, her husband of 18 years.

Kinney was born Jan. 2, 1953, in Seagraves. She was close to her grandfather, who lived on the streets in West Texas and often caught trains from town to town. She eventually followed in his footsteps and rode the rails herself in West Texas.

During her life, Kinney had a variety of jobs, including making parts for Shell Oil Co., cashiering at Wal-Mart and selling sandwiches and sodas from her van at construction sites.

She joined Austin's homeless population in 2000 or 2001, Bell said, living under a bridge near Barton Creek Parkway.

"She liked having friends on the streets," Bell said. "She just liked that lifestyle."

Almost three years ago, Kinney lay in the hospice care of Mary House Catholic Worker of Austin, a home that takes in the homeless, with less than two weeks to live. Eight months later, she was discharged as her deadly case of cirrhosis went into remission.

To those who cared for her during her illness, her recovery was no less than a miracle.

"God looked down on me," she told the American-Statesman in June 2007. "He gave me a second chance at life." After her discharge, Alan Graham, president of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, gave Kinney a trailer where she lived for a while before she moved into public housing in November 2008.

She did not drink for almost two years. But about two months ago, Kinney began to drink again, which eventually led to her liver failure, Bell said.

After a month of suffering, she died quietly at Christopher House of Hospice Austin surrounded by her friends and family, he said.

Kinney's survivors include Bell and daughters Laini Jenkins and Becky Smith.

Erin Mulvaney, American-Statesman staff; emulvaney@statesman.com; 445-3851

(Published in Austin American-Statesman from Sept. 11 to Sept. 16, 2009)

Sandra married William Earl Hollifield 21 Jul 1970, Brownfield, Terry County, Texas, USA; divorced 11 Jun 1980, Seminole, Gaines County, Texas, USA. William was born 25 Feb 1947, Brownfield, Terry County, Texas, USA; died 3 Apr 2012, Slaton, Lubbock County, Texas, USA; was buried 6 Apr 2012, Gaines County Cemetery - Seagraves, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet]

1. M.A. Hollifield
2. B.L. Hollifield

Sandra married Lloyd Taylor Bell 13 Apr 1991, Austin, Travis County, Texas, USA. Lloyd was born 24 Oct 1950, Hidalgo County, Texas, USA; died 20 Jul 2018, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas, USA; was buried 7 Sep 2018, Travis County Wells School Road Cemetery - Manda, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet]

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Funeral Rites Slated Today

Kermit - (Staff) - Services were slated for 2 p.m. Friday at the Berean Baptist Church here for Buster V. A. Kinney, 36-year-old former Odessan who died Sunday in New York City.

Rev. Clarence Smith, former pastor of the church, was to officiate. Burial was set for Odessa Cemetery under direction of the Hixson Funeral Home of Kermit.

Kinney was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. V. Kinney of Seagraves. He was born Jan. 10, 1922, at Pawhuska, Okla.

He moved to Odessa in 1927 and attended school here. During World War II he served in the Army.

He worked for Davidson Drilling Company in the Odessa area until Aug. 1, 1957, when he took a drilling job for Iran Oil Company in Tehran, Iran.

He became Ill last December and was transferred from Iran to New York.

He is survived by his widow, Marie; one son, Ronald Dean Kinney; two daughters, Donna Marie and Sandra Kay; his parents; one brother, Victor Kinney of Odessa, and two sisters, Betty Kinney of Seagraves and Mrs. Juanita Haskins of Oria, Tex.

(Published in The Odessa American on February 21, 1958)

Buster married Marie Mattie High 1941. Marie (daughter of Bernice Homer High and Etta Rachel Mae Bryant) was born 30 Jan 1928, Seymour, Baylor County, Texas, USA; died 7 Feb 1991, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA; was buried 9 Feb 1991, Gaines County Cemetery - Seagraves, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet]

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Services for Marie Barnes, 63, of Odessa are scheduled for 10 a.m. today at Central Baptist Church with the Rev. Von Dell Drinkard officiating.

Graveside services are scheduled for 3 p.m. in Gaines County Cemetery in Seagraves.

Mrs. Barnes died Thursday at Medical Center Hospital after a short illness. She was born Jan. 30, 1928, in Seymour. She married William E. Barnes, Jr. May 15, 1960, in Altus, Okla. He died March 1, 1990.

Mrs. Barnes worked for Visiting Nurse Service of the Permian Basin. She was a real estate broker. She was Baptist.

Survivors include two sons, Ronald Dean Kinney of Seagraves and Britt Allen Barnes of Quemado; two daughters, Donna Marie Brown of San Angelo and Sandra Kay Hollifield of Austin; three brothers, Homer Neil High of Denver, James High and Daniel E. High, both of Odessa; three sisters, Maggie Bertron and Juanita Tesarek, both of Denver, and Emajon Mayfield of Odessa; seven grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

The family suggest memorials to Visiting Nurse Service of the Permian Basin or Central Baptist Church.

Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

(Published in The Odessa American of Odessa, TX on February 9, 1991)

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SEAGRAVES (Special) - Services for Burnis Homer High, 81, of Seagraves will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the Church of Christ here with Jerald Baldwin of Seagraves officiating.

Burial will be in Seagraves Cemetery under the direction of Connally Funeral Home of Seagraves.

High died about 11 a.m. Tuesday at his home following a brief illness.

In 1938 High moved from Seymour to Seagraves, where he was a clerk in a grocery store for many years. He was a veteran of World War I.

Survivors include his wife, Etta Rachel May; four sons, Ted of Seagraves, James of Kermit, Danny of California and Homer of Denver, Colo.; four daughters, Mrs. Emajon Mayfield of Odessa, Mrs. Maggie Bertron of Longmont, Colo., Mrs. Marie Barnes of Malaysia and Mrs. Juanita Rahl of Denver, Colo.; a brother, Opis of Wichita Falls; a sister, Miss Mattie High of Seymour; 23 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

(Published in The Lubbock Avalanche Journal of Lubbock, TX on September 24, 1975)

Bernice married Etta Rachel Mae Bryant 24 Dec 1920, Seymour, Baylor County, Texas, USA. Etta (daughter of Joel Bea Bryant and Ethel Birdie Brothers) was born 24 Sep 1901, Buffalo, Leon County, Texas, USA; died 10 Dec 1988, Seagraves, Gaines County, Texas, USA; was buried 13 Dec 1988, Gaines County Cemetery - Seagraves, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet]

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SEAGRAVES - Services for Etta High, 87, of Seagraves are scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday at Avenue D Church of Christ in Seagraves with the Revs. Arnold Baldwin and Gerald Baldwin officiating.

Burial will be in Gaines County Cemetery in Seagraves under the direction of Connally Funeral Home in Seagraves.

Mrs. High died Friday at her residence. She was born in Buffalo, Texas. She married Bernice Homer High Dec. 24, 1920, in Seymour. He died Sept. 23, 1975. Three sons also preceded her in death: Bernice Joel High, Kenneth Joe High and Teddy Dwayne High.

Mrs. High moved to Seagraves from Seymour in 1938. She owned and operated several cafes in Seagraves. She was a charter member of the Avenue D Church of Christ.

Survivors include three sons, Homer High of Denver; James High of Sawyer, Okla., and Danny High of Odessa; four daughters, Maggie Burton of Longmont, Colo., Marie Barnes of Odessa, Juanita Rael of Denver and Emajon Mayfield of Midland; one sister, Flora Sturgeon of Seymour; 23 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchildren.

Connally Funeral Home of Seagraves is in charge of arrangements.

(Published in The Odessa American on December 11, 1988)

Joel — Ethel Birdie Brothers. Ethel (daughter of Jesse Thomas Brothers and Maggie Walker) was born 30 Nov 1885, Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee, USA; died 28 Dec 1963, Lamesa, Dawson County, Texas, USA; was buried 30 Dec 1963, Gaines County Cemetery - Seagraves, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet]

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SEAGRAVES (Staff) - Rites for Mrs. Ethel Bryant, 78, a longtime resident of this city, were to be conducted at 2 p.m. today in the Appleton Avenue Church of Christ. Don Lacy, minister, and Fred Corder, were to officiate.

Burial was to be in Seagraves Cemetery under the direction of Webb Funeral Home.

Mrs. Bryant died Saturday in a Lamesa convalescent home.

She was a member of the Appleton Avenue Church of Christ.

Survivors are four daughters, Mrs. Alta Scoggins, Seminole, Mrs. Homer High, Seagraves, Mrs. Claude Gross, Andrews, and Mrs. Flora Sturgeon, Globe, Ariz.; four sons, Ernest Bryant, Andrews, Ellward Bryant, Houston, Roy Bryant, Chicago, Ill., and Hillis Bryant, Port Arthur; a sister; three brothers, and several grandchildren.

(Published in The Odessa American on December 30, 1963)