Doug Kinne, MD Medical Missionary – Finisher
1941—2000
Doug Kinne, had worked as a physician in Petoskey Michigan so long he said that, “kids I’d delivered as an Obstetrician were themselves going into missions.” But Doug and his wife Jan had a growing conviction that there was something more for them and so at age 49 and 48 respectively, they joined YWAM, serving in Guyana, Albania and the Ukraine, among many places.
I first met Doug when he came to lead the Crossroads DTS in Kona Hawaii, but worked with him closely after 1997, when he was asked to give leadership to YWAM’s local College of Counseling & Health Care on the University of the Nations-Kona Campus. With a heart and vision that bridged both the counseling and health care streams, Doug helped develop the HIV/AIDS and Children’s Social Service courses as well as seminars introducing health professionals to missions. Doug gave wise counsel serving on the Kona Academic Leadership Team and as a member of the UofN CHC Int’l. Committee. In missions, he knew he was doing what he was meant to do and he wanted to make his life count.
In early 2000, Doug was diagnosed with a brain tumor and died in October of that year. For me he was a mentor, an advocate and a friend.
Doug had commented to a number of us, that “For the first half of my life I made a living, but for the second half, I’m making a difference.”
His wife, Jan Kinne Conway has recently published a book about Doug and her journey into missions entitled THE FINISHER – A NEW PATH FOR YOUR SECOND HALF.