Margaret Kinnear
December 31, 1969 - December 31, 1969

"Hello - My name is Belinda and I am a former Cotillion student of Mrs. Kinnear. I am now fifty-five and live in North Carolina. Earlier this evening I took my first dance class (Swing) since I last danced in your mother's studio, with fellow student and older brother, Michael. About half-way through tonight's lesson, the muscle memory came back and I really began to enjoy myself more than I could have imagined. I found this obituary and felt you should know that after all these years, her loving guidance on the dance floor is giving me the opportunity to make more wonderful memories. God Bless - Belinda Picklesimer"

"In rememberance of one of the most graceful and elegant women I've even known. Mrs. Kinnear taught so many of us how to not only dance, but how to "conduct ourselves" in social settings. With her clear, lucite heals with lights in them, she dazzeled us during the Christmas dance and made us marvel bi-weekly as she skimmed across the floor doing the waltz, the fox trot or the cha-cha. She taught us how to drink our sherbert punch and eat our tea cookies without making a mess. With our white gloves on and dresses, girls learned how to fit in the arms of our partners while the boys in their suits learned how to not step on our toes. Never loud or insistent, her teaching style matched her generous personality.I benefitted from Mrs. Kinnear not only on the dance floor but as a child of Northminster Presbyterian. Her expectations on the dance floor even came into the Sunday School classroom. We were, after all, dressed in our Sunday best. She mesmerized us.She'll be missed, but the lessons she offered to us on manners, dance, and social graces are with many of us."

"I remember Mrs. Kinnear so very fondly from Mrs. Gates Dancing School back in the 1950's. Each and every Saturday my mother would take me to dancing class and there would be Mrs. Kinnear, looking absolutely beautiful in her dress and then I would watch her dance so gracefully. It has been many years since I was there, but I have never forgotten her many kindnesses to me. I am certain that she will be sorely missed."

"Learning of Mrs. Kinnear"

"It is difficult to sum up in a paragraph or two the influence Mrs. Kinnear had on my life. I knew of her and Kenny from my parents involvement in a variety of activities in Indianapolis, however, my first meaningful contact came in the fall of 1977 when as a 12 year old in seventh grade I joined the with the others from Northview and Eastwood and Westlane and started cotillion. Each time I could hardly wait to see the shoes she would be wearing! When many others stopped after eighth grade, I continued and as a Junior in High School Mrs. Kinnear asked me to be an assistant for the 7th and 8th grade classes. I continued to teach with her for 12 years during college at Butler and on into my late 20"

"My children were beneficiaries of Mrs. Kinnear's grace and vision--one directly and one through her daughter. Who would have ever thought that when we moved to Griffin, GA that our youngest son would attend "Mrs. Judith K. Hamilton"s cotillion and that person would be Mrs. Kinnear's daughter? We laughed at that coincidence.Mrs. Hamilton, AJ Campbell, Matt Campbell and I all share in your sorrow and pray for you and your family. Your mother was a lovely and graceful lady who instilled the gift of social grace to so many Indianapolis children. Thank you for sharing that gift to the children of Griffin as ably as your mother. "

"Many of us boys arrived as reluctant and sometimes rambunctious participants in Mrs. Gates' dancing class atop the Propyleum. But over time we came to accept and then even enjoy the time there. We even took on some elements of grace and manners. But most of all, we came to like and respect the lovely assistant to Mrs. Gates, Mrs. Kinnear. "

"Our sons, Ben and Andy, now 31 and 33, have a lot of great memories of their Cotillion experiences with Mrs. Kinnear. We have laughed over the "suits" they wore and treasured the stories of the many clumsy errors they made as "dancers." In the end, however, dancing has always been a valuable asset to have! Many thanks to a wonderfully kind, patient and lovely lady!"

"I just heard with great sadness of Mrs. Kinnear's passing. I am among the thousands of students of Mrs. Kinnear's Cotillion Class who for years since has heard her voice every time I have approached a dance floor at weddings, formals, and - most helpfully - during my time working aboard ships in the cruise industry! I can remember our Thursday night Eastwood carpools over to Nora - there was one carpool for the guys, another for the girls - even though we all lived next to each other. Running down the stairs and sitting along the walls of the basement instruction room. Mr. and Ms. Goodnight, our able assistants would demonstrate a new dance each week while Mrs. Kinnear gracefully guided us along. No slouching, stand straight, forward/back/1-2-3.... and in a big circle we would work our way around the room. Certain dance partners would send the palms into a sweat, but Mrs. Kinnear always taught us how to be a class act. I can only imagine how many other thousands of students carry her voice in their heads when entering a social situation. To her family, I don't think you will ever know how many of "us" there are, walking around with your mother's voice in our heads, 20, 30, maybe more years since taking her class. Flashbacks of punch and Halloween stilettos with sparkling lights remain embedded in my memory. I am so sorry for your loss, but hope you will find comfort in the lasting legacy she has left in generations of dancers and students who hear her voice every time they walk onto a dance floor."

"I don't know how it can be said any better than Matt said it. There are countless "kids" who will forever be indebted to Mrs. Kinnear for teaching us grace and some level of class whether we chose to remember or practice it or not. The punch with a dollop of sherbet, white gloves on the girls, clip on ties after football practice, shoes that were too tight, and the light-up shoes are memories I will carry with me forever. Kinnear family, I hope you will take great pride in knowing - in this one segment of her life - what a memorable and positive influence Mrs. Kinnear was to so many people. She is truly one of those I probably never appropriately thanked, but always think of when I'm in a formal dance setting. Rest in peace, Mrs. Kinnear. And thank you."

"Reading all the Guestbook Comments also takes me back to the marvelous Cotillion experiences and the "class" she added to many of our lives at very young ages -- I will fondly remember Margaret also as a kind neighbor to my Grandparents when they lived on the corner of 65th & Dean Road and without reservation, she was the MOST BEAUTIFUL AND CLASSIEST THETA LADY EVER!!!! May she be flying her Theta Kite in Heaven and strolling thru fields covered in Theta Pansies."

"Judith & family, I am so sorry to hear of your mothers passing. She was such a delight to work with during my years at Waterfield Insurance Agency, as was your father!! Please know you all are in my prayers and my heart goes out to you! God Bless!!!"

"Wow. What memories. To this day I still carry around a dance card in case I find someone who wants to sign it. Mrs. Kinnear is also where I fell in love with really good punch and admired "the man who woudn't talk" who just rubbed that little rake thingy over his drum all night.What a great experience. What memories.Thanks Mrs. Kinnear. I am sure God would love to dance."

"I have such warm memories of cotillion. During a time when every teenage girl felt clumsy, those lessons made us feel just a bit more elegant.Remember ladies, cross your ankles, not your legs!God bless you, Mrs. Kinnear!"

"It was with sadness that we read of Mrs. Kinnear's passing. My two sisters and I were all taught to dance and refine our "manners" by Mrs. Kinnear at the Propyleum in Mrs. Gates Dancing School. Later, my niece was first a student then a dancing assistant with Cotillion. Our family also were members of Northminster Presbyterian and we lived a few blocks from the Kinnear family. We were privileged to reaquaint ourselves with Mrs. Kinnear while our Father, Dr. Edward Lidikay, was a resident at the same assisted living community. Sadly, he too passed away in March of this year. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of a very lovely and kind woman, Margaret Kinnear. Be assured that she is now dancing in Heaven."

"Heart-felt condolences are sent to the Ramey and Kinnear families from the Meili family. My late brother shared such wonderful memories of his time at cotillion that I felt as though I had been there as well."

"So many fond memories of dance cotillion. So many people in Indy shared the experience. What a wonderful woman. What an impact in the community. The question was always, "did you go to Kinnear or Gates.l""

"It is with sadness that I read of Mrs. Kinnear's passing. I so looked forward to cotillion every week; I loved the punch and dressing up. My favorite dance was the waltz because I loved doing the Telemark Turn (I think I remembered that name correctly). What little grace and poise I have I owe to Mrs. Kinnear. My condolences to your family. She was a lovely woman. Although it has been many years since cotillion, I think of her often with great fondness. I have always felt grateful that I had the opportunity to know her and take her class."

"To a true lady that not only taught me how to act like a lady but my son how to be a gentleman. Dance with the Angels!"

"What a grand lady! I can recall my years in Cotillion and learning the social graces that she so gently, but firmly, coached each of us to grasp. I still see her spiked heels and fancy dresses! She certainly makes a beautiful angel. Her legacy will live on for many! My condolences to the family as they grieve this loss. "

"White gloves, tafeta dresses, ballroom dance steps, and the most elegant woman I could imagine... cotillion was like a dream for me. As a very "girly girl", I looked forward to my weekly experience so much that I would was actually a little sad each week as the evening's lesson would come to an end. And the key component of this magical weekly event was Mrs. Kinnear. I was in awe of her beauty, her elegance, her patience, her knowledge, and her shoes! I never fully understood what it meant to be "graceful" until I met Mrs. Kinnear. It makes me sad to know that my children will not ever be blessed to watch her glide across the dance floor with a classmate or to hear her voice gently coaxing them to sit properly without spilling their punch. To her family- my thoughts are with you. Your loved one was treasured by so many! "

"What a lovely person Margaret was, and even more accomplished than we realized. We know that your memories of her will bring great comfort. You are in our prayers as you deal with the loss of your mother."

"So sorry for your loss. I was a student with so many other classmates. Learning the right and wrong ways to present yourself and to dance. My thoughts are with you during this hard time. She was a wonderful women!"

"Clearly the morst gorgeous and gracious woman I have known. I was among the Propyleum students in Mrs. Gates' classes. I started in the fall of 1949 (only 7th and 8th grade students at that time attended the classes). Freshman year one attended by invitation. As a sophomore I was one of those chosen to assist at the freshman classes. Actually they weren't classes as such, but more like cotillion. I remember the boys sitting on the sidelines, totally enamored by Mrs. Kinnear, but nearly dying when she actually chose on of them to demonstrate or dance. I am absoilutely certain that much of the grace shown in Indianapolis is the result of Mrs. Kinnear. I'm just sorry she hasn't been able to continue with the recent generations."

"Such a wonderful woman, meet her while working with Sheila, may you rest in peace Ms Kinnear, may God Bless your family"

"I was saddened to hear of Mrs. Kinnear's passing. I fondly remember cotillion on Tuesday evenings in Muncie. I so strongly remember Mrs. Kinnear's beautiful chiffon dresses and graceful movements. We all wanted to flow across the dance floor like Mrs. Kinnear. My mother, Jan Ernst, was an assistant to Mrs. Kinnear in Muncie. Cotillion was a big part of my life for several years. I appreciate all the social lessons Mrs. Kinnear imparted to us by simply modeling that type of behavior for us. She was a wonderful, sincere, happy person to be with. She has had a big impact on my life."

"My first 3 years of classes were at the Marott Hotel. I was in awe of the marble columns and floor and of course the regal lady in the center of the ballroom whose smile made the fears go away. And how we all loved her high heels. My father always looked forward to a dance at Lambs Club or Woodstock. When I returned to Indianapolis a few years ago, I was happy to reconnect with Mrs. Kinnear on the golf course. She had a swing as perfect as her stride on the dance floor. A special lady who has given many wonderful memories to us all."

"It was a slice of HEAVEN to learn dancing & manners from Mrs. Kinnear.Sorry to hear of her passing."

"As stated so eloquently by other friends and cotillion goers, Margret was a teacher of dance and of life. A life of consideration towards others, polite and poised manners, grace and beauty. The dancing was always very enjoyable, but it was just the tip of the iceberg of what this lady taught all of us.I consider myself very lucky to have know Mrs. Kinnear and am very thankful for all of the love and energy that she shared throughout her life."

"We would like to express our deepest sympathy for your loss. The loss of someone close is difficult to bear. It is our hope that you know that we care. The Bible brings sure comfort for all the ones we have lost and answers such questions as: Why do people grow old and die and What happens to us when we die? God promises a time when death will be no more and this is found at Revelation 21:4 which reads: "And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourn nor pain anymore. The former things have passed away." I hope this brings you some comfort."