Kini Kay

Kini Kay passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, August 20, 2022 following a short illness. Kini was born on May 2, 1956 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was lovingly adopted by Kenneth and Phyllis Kay. He lived in Oklahoma City until age 7, when he and his family moved to Norman and built their family home. Kini attended Monroe Elementary School, West Junior High School, and Norman High School, graduating in 1974. The Class of ‘74 included many of his most cherished lifelong friends.

Kini attended The Way Bible College in Emporia, Kansas, where he cultivated his lifelong Christian faith. He also attended OSU and OU, discovering his passion for film under the mentorship of OU Professor Ned Hockman. In 1979, he decided to spend a summer in Los Angeles. That summer turned into a 20 year-long film career. He started in props, carpentry, and set-building and worked his way up into the sound department serving as sound editor, mixer, and supervisor for over 50 films and TV shows, including Friday the 13th Part VII, Tales from the Darkside, Cyborg, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, Forever Young, and Boogie Nights.

After his daughter was born in 1998, Kini made the decision to move back to his hometown of Norman to raise her near family. He raised her as a single father in a home filled with unconditional love, faith, and possibility. He worked many years as a professor at OU teaching audio production while freelancing film projects. His mentorship and advocacy helped many of his students find careers in the film industry and bring film productions to Oklahoma. His last project was as sound director of Distant Vision, written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and shot in Oklahoma. After retiring, Kini enjoyed volunteering for the Norman Police Department and spending time with his beloved pomeranian, Parti King.

Kini is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his daughter, Kara Kay of Tulsa; his sister, Kristie Bunney and her husband Mike of Nowata; his niece, Amy Ann Arnold and husband Russ of Tulsa; niece, Leah Messner and husband Chris of Owasso; cousin, King Price and wife Paula of Norman; not to mention a large extended family and many friends in Oklahoma, California, and beyond.

Kini was an extraordinary father; loyal friend; lover of music, sound, and film; and one-of-a-kind man. He will be dearly missed. Memorial donations can be made in Kini’s name to the Notes For Notes organization (https://www.notesfornotes.org). The family would like to thank the staff at Norman Regional Healthplex.