The slain couple’s daughter thanks the community for its support By Maxine Bernstein and Janet Filips The Oregonian

Taking their cue from Kristin Kinkel, who personally and poignantly asked the Springfield community Friday night to celebrate her parents’ lives, students, colleagues and friends remembered the two respected Spanish educators’ engaging and caring personalities.

“Wow,” Kristin Kinkel said, as she stood before a standing-room only crowd in the gynasium in Springfield High School, where her mother, Faith Kinkel, taught since 1990. “I want to thank all of you for joining us tonight for the celebration of the lives of my parents.”

“I use the term ‘celebration of life,’ “ she said, her voice wavering with emotion, forcing her to halt before regaining her composure, “because I believe that’s what they would have wanted. Neither of these exceptional people would have wanted tears of sorrow, but thoughts of joy.”

William P. Kinkel, 59, and Faith M. Kinkel, 57, were shot to death in their home May 20, allegedly killed by their 15-year-old son, Kipland P. Kinkel. Investigators say Kip went on a shooting rampage in Thurston High School’s cafeteria the next day, killing two students and wounding 22 others.

The public memorial service drew more than 1,700 people, including recent and former students of the Kinkels, fellow teachers, school administrators, neighbors and friends. The gym bleachers were packed, and school officials set up chairs on the gym floor to accommodate the crowd.

The service demonstrated how the Kinkels touched members of the community — through Spanish-themed musical and choir performances, a school video showing Faith Kinkel energetically interacting with her students in class, a home video of the couple on family hiking and ski trips, and personal accounts offered by students and teachers of how each of the Kinkels influenced their lives.

Faith Kinkel began teaching at Springfield High School in 1990. William Kinkel most recently worked as a part-time Spanish instructor at Lane Community College. He taught Spanish at Thurston High School from 1964 to 1991 and at Thurston Middle School from 1961 to 1964.

As Kristin alternately laughed, smiled and buried her face in tissues, friends, colleagues and former students took their turns at microphones to share memories of the Kinkels and words of admiration for the couple. “Bill and Faith didn’t love life,” said one. “They pursued it with gusto.”

A former student, now a teacher, shared Bill Kinkel’s motto: “One must improvise like a lightning bug.” A colleague of Faith Kinkel shared the image of her, arms loaded with books, headed out into a driving rain — without an umbrella — to stand on the sidelines of Kip’s football game with her husband. “They watched Kip’s games the entire time,” she said, “even though Kip only played three minutes.”

Family friends directed their words to Kristin, telling her of her parents’ pride in her, and reassuring her of their love for Kip.

“It was nobody’s fault what happened here,” said a woman who knew the family through Kip’s martial arts lessons. “I hope you know that, Kristin. We’re not here tonight to point fingers. We’re accepting this tragedy for what it is.”

The Kinkels were remembered for their unwavering encouragement of their students, their ability to make Spanish classes fun and their willingness to give up their personal time to provide extra help to students.

Springfield High School Principal Gene Heinle read a letter that his staff wrote the day after the Kinkels’ bodies were discovered. The letter told of the school’s deep respect and affection for Faith Kinkel, who will be remembered as a loving, generous human being, and a teacher who demonstrated an enormous commitment to children and cultural harmony.

A day before she was shot, Faith Kinkel learned that she was chosen school District 19’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year, Heinle said.

The public service came two days after a private family service was held Wednesday in Eugene. By then, Faith and Bill Kinkel were cremated.

In her brief address Friday night, Kristin Kinkel thanked the community for their support.

“Your thoughts and your prayers are what continues to keep us strong,” the 21-year-old said, returning to her chair on the gym floor, surrounded by her mother’s sisters, her grandmother and an extended family.

Mourners sniffled, chuckled, clutched roses and wore ribbons in Springfield High’s blue and white colors throughout the 110-minute ceremony. The Springfield High choir solemnly, poignantly sang “The Prayer of the Children.” Ron Sauer, a Springfield minister, asked the crowd to hold hands in a prayer of thanks for the opportunity to have known and learned from the Kinkels. Then, in a tribute that left Kristin beaming and trembling, he asked the crowd to stand and applaud. They did, and they did, for two full minutes.

It was the sound of sorrow and celebration.

William Philip Kinkel