Anne Maria Kinkella, (72) of Meridianville, Alabama, passed away Saturday August 1, 2026. Anne was born on June 9, 1954, in Roscommon, Michigan. She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond L. Kinkella and Dorthy A. Cotton Kinkella of Roscommon, Michigan, and brother, Curtis Michael Kinkella of Higgins Lake, Michigan.
Anne was born with a spinal disability, and she endured great challenges throughout her life. Anne’s determination was persistent and after high school she attended Central Michigan University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1977. After teaching for several years, Anne moved to Alexandria Virginia and accepted a position with the Department of Defense as a civilian Industrial Specialist with the Army Materiel Command Technical Industrial Liaison Office.
Anne was fiercely independent and a dedicated advocate for Disability Rights. She was a member of the Disabled Majority and in 2003 while working at the Department of Defense, Anne challenged the Washington Metro when they banned her use of a Segway on Metro trains. Anne’s persistence won a reversal of the ban on Segways and laid the groundwork for a 2005 U.S. Department of Transportation regulation that essentially treats Segways in the same manner as a wheelchair in use by the disabled.
Anne moved to Meridianville in 2008 as part of the BRAC process that brought the Army Material Command to Huntsville. Anne continued to work with the Department of the Army until her retirement in 2019.
Anne loved animals, a passion she shared with several of her friends and neighbors. Anne was beloved by her neighbors and will be sorely missed.
