Michael Joseph Patrick Kinslow

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called. Ephesians 4:1 Michael Kinslow reached the end of his journey with pancreatic cancer on December 26, 2014. He died peacefully at home, and was surrounded by his family, both the human and four-legged members. In life, Michael was a trial lawyer. Inspired by Robert Kennedy's call to dedicate ourselves "to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world," Michael represented people who had been physically, emotionally and psychologically harmed by others, or who could not speak for themselves. Since becoming admitted to the practice of law in California in 2005, his principal area of work was representing survivors of childhood sexual abuse. In addition, on a pro bono basis, Michael represented disabled dependents of active duty and retired military personnel in administrative appeals before the U.S. Department of Defense in cases involving the denial of life-sustaining home health benefits by TRICARE. He testified as a legal expert before the Defense Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding needed reforms within the military healthcare system. And, while still in law school, inspired by a very special young man named Tyler Denman, he assembled and coordinated a coalition of advocates, and they successfully reformed TRICARE's treatment of disabled individuals, resulting in the passing of positive legislative and regulatory changes. In addition to the practice of law, and due in part to his love of Christ and the teachings instilled in him by the nuns at the Grey Nun Academy where he attended grade school, Michael was a passionate and dedicated advocate for social justice, and deeply involved in the community. He volunteered for numerous causes, and served as Vice President of the Canyon Democrats, a local Democratic Club. He was elected to the Orange County Democratic Party's Central Committee in June 2012, and subsequently elected to represent the 73rd Assembly district on the Orange County Democratic Party Executive Committee. He was a Delegate to the California Democratic Party State Conventions in 2011 through 2014, and looked forward to continuing that service. When Michael wasn't changing the world, he and his Bride were frequent attendees at Angels baseball games (although he was a die-hard Phillies fan), and Annual Passholders at Disneyland. He never missed an episode of "Friday Night Lights," "The West Wing," "How I Met Your Mother" or "So You Think You Can Dance," and enjoyed reading, particularly biographies of those he admired, such as John and Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King. He loved loud family gatherings, hiking, the Pocono Mountains, fishing, the beach and Yosemite. He was a proud Celtic Crusader, embracing his Irish ancestry with a particular reverence. He was preceded in death by his father, Michael Joseph Kinslow, his brother, George Andrew Kinslow, and several cherished aunts and uncles. He leaves behind his Bride, Georgie Denman Kinslow, their two sons, Tyler & Tristan Denman, his beloved mother, Mary Kinslow Knight and his step-father Kenny, his mother and father in law, Joy & Tom Dunn, his aunts and uncles, Revs Gaylord and Cathy Gillis, Jane Krittman, Mary Olimpo, Andrew Kinslow, Becky Rose and Priscilla and Paul Oebel, his Godson, Kyle Feuer, an abundance of precious cousins, nieces, and nephews, a life-long list of treasured friends whom he considered family and all of their children whom he adored, his brothers and sisters "in the cause," and his four spoiled but worshipped rescue dogs. Please join us for a celebration of the life, loves, family, friends, passions, causes and ideals that were at the very heart and soul of Michael Joseph Patrick Kinslow. The Funeral Mass will take place at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at Michael's childhood church, St. Mark Roman Catholic Church, 1025 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, PA 19007 where Michael was baptized and served as an altar boy on what would have been his 51st birthday. There will be a graveside Interment immediately following the Mass at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, located at 3301 Cheltenham Avenue, Philadelphia, PA Please consider making a donation in Michael's memory to help find a cure for pancreatic cancer at the Lustgarten Foundation by visiting: www.curepc.org - or by supporting your local animal rescue organization.