David A. Kinzel of Southampton died February 19 after a long battle with neck and throat cancer. He was 76.
Mr. Kinzel was the son of Ellwood and Valerie Kinzel of Greenwich, Connecticut. A 1959 graduate of Dartmouth College, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, Mr. Kinzel was an accomplished musician, playing with the Dartmouth Jazz Band and traveling around the country with them.
A close friend of the late Cincinnati Pops conductor Eric Kunzel, also from Greenwich, Mr. Kinzel played timpani with some of Mr. Kunzel’s early musical groups. After graduating from Dartmouth, Mr. Kinzel went to officers candidate school in Newport. He served as an officer under Admiral John McCain, the father of Senator John McCain.
Ms. Kinzel also attended New York University for business courses and worked for McDonnell and Company and Hornblower and Weeks for several years until he got throat cancer in 1996. He retired to Southampton with his shelter dogs and companion of 40 years, Pat Lynch of Manhattan, who worked for NBC Nightly News. Mr. Kinzel also practiced real estate locally until he had to be hospitalized.
Mr. Kinzel is survived by two nieces, Valerie and Susan; a godson, Paul; and Ms. Lynch. He also leaves his Akita mix, Kramer.
A memorial service in Manhattan was private. His ashes will be scattered later this spring in the ocean off Chatham, Massachusetts, where Ms. Lynch had a family home.
Memorial donations may be made to the animal rescue group RSVP for pit bulls, which he deemed a “most misunderstood breed.”
on May 18, 2015