Kivlin, accountant, was 4-letter athlete — Kearney Joseph Kivlin obituary, retired H and H Coffee accountant, San Antonio Express-News, 13 August 1986
Obituary for Kearney Joseph Kivlin, 76, a four-letter athlete at Main Avenue High School who attended St. Edward’s University and graduated in 1932 with a degree in accounting. “He worked as an accountant for Magnolia Oil Co., a pecan shelling company, Lone Star Brewery and H & H Coffee Co. When Continental Coffee bought out H & H, Kivlin decided to retire.”
Kivlin was a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Alamo Heights Optimist Club, and The Buckeyes. WWII service in Army Finance School. Survived by sisters Noelie Dunsmore and Marguerite Kivlin. Mass at Our Lady of Grace; burial with military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
The single sentence — “When Continental Coffee bought out H & H, Kivlin decided to retire” — is the most direct statement in the project’s primary record that Continental Coffee Company acquired H & H Coffee Co., and that the buyout prompted at least some long-term H&H employees to retire rather than continue under the new ownership.
Transcription
Kivlin, accountant, was 4-letter athlete
Kearney Joseph Kivlin, 76, was an accountant for many years after he was a four-letter man at old Main Avenue High School.
He was one of very few who lettered in football, baseball, track and basketball.
Kivlin died Sunday in a hospital after a long illness. His last six years were spent in a nursing home. A native of Kingsland, he moved to San Antonio in 1923 with his parents and their other children.
Kivlin attended St. Edward’s University on a sports scholarship and graduated in 1932 with a degree in accounting. He worked as an accountant for Magnolia Oil Co., a pecan shelling company, Lone Star Brewery and H & H Coffee Co.
When Continental Coffee bought out H & H, Kivlin decided to retire.
“He had lots of friends,” said his sister, Noelie Dunsmore of San Antonio. “An easygoing person, he enjoyed people and he enjoyed life. While serving in the Army in World War II, he was sent to Army Finance School.
On his return to San Antonio, Kivlin played baseball and basketball in commercial leagues.
He was a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Alamo Heights Optimist Club and The Buckeyes.
He is survived by another sister, Marguerite Kivlin of San Antonio.
Mass will be celebrated at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday in Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church. Burial with military honors will be in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Porter Loring Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Source
- “Kivlin, accountant, was 4-letter athlete,” San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio, Tex.), 13 Aug 1986, p. 23, Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1276275067/ (accessed 19 May 2026).
- Archived export:
/assets/pdfs/1986-08-13-san-antonio-express-news-kearney-joseph-kivlin-obituary.pdf.
