Tammie Joann Kinerney's Obituary
Tammie Kinerney was born in Maryville, Tennessee on October 11, 1959, the second child of parents who worked the textile mills in Rockford. Her parents, Lee Roy and Martha Hickman, lived through an era and region deeply affected by the Great Depression and Tammie evinced the toughness instilled by their experience from her early years. Her father delighted in telling his grandchildren about the time she was sent home from school for bloodying the nose of a classmate who tried to bully her.
Tammie carried that resilience throughout her life. On her 18th birthday, she welcomed her first son while living in Louisiana; she subsequently moved to Germany, where she welcomed her second son. All told, Tammie lived in five states and two countries. She dedicated her life to public service, advancing from working as a cashier at an Air Force base in Tennessee to a manager overseeing multimillion dollar contracts for the Army in Hawaii.
An avid traveler, Tammie explored the world with the love of her life, Patrick. Together, they saw nine countries, including Japan, the home country of Patrick's mother, as well as a dozen European Christmas markets and Patrick's paternal home of Killarney in Ireland. Tammie and Patrick strolled the streets of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Dublin, London, Paris, Bern, Venice, Bolzano, Innsbruck, Munich, Rome, and Napoli. They traversed the peaks of the Swiss Alps by train and saw the Sistine Chapel, where Tammie was among the few to descend into the quiet of the Vatican’s ancient necropolis to view the 2,000 year-old tomb and remains of Peter the Apostle.
The girl who once stood her ground in a Tennessee schoolyard saw the world and grew into a person who defined herself by her capacity for tenderness. In Hawaii, she found the spirit she had always carried: a fierce, protective love and cornerstone of her family’s life. Tammie traveled far but lived and loved in Hawaii. It was there she instilled the values that define her children and grandchildren: open-mindedness, courage, love, and aloha.Tammie Kinerney, née Hickman, passed away on April 11, surrounded by her loved ones.
She is survived by her husband, Patrick; her children, Dennis, Michael, Yvonne, and Yvette; her daughters-in-law, Rose-Marie and Cristina; and her sons-in-law, Matthew and Nick. She leaves a legacy in her six grandchildren—Ikaika, Desmond, Amelia, Jakob, Nixon, and Diesel; her two great-grandchildren, Tidus and Sampson; and her cousins whom she considered brothers, sisters, and grandchildren: Becky, Missy, Jack, Mara, Jordan, Caston, and Shelby.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Tammie’s honor on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at Mililani Memorial Park and Mortuary in the Makai Chapel. The morning will begin with a private family viewing at 9:00 am, followed by a public viewing at 10:00 am. We invite all friends and family to join us for lunch and reflection on her life from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.
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