02/12/2023
Funeral services for Austin Kristofer Kicksey, 32, will be held Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Living Word Fellowship Church in Knoxville, Iowa. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Knoxville.
Austin’s family will greet friends on Monday, August 17, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Living Word Fellowship Church. Memorials may be sent in care of his mother, Jennifer Turner, and will be used in various ways to support Austin’s passion for youth ministry.
Austin Kristofer Kicksey, 32, of Fordland, Missouri, passed away on August 6, 2026, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Austin was born October 9, 1993, in Pella, Iowa, to Noel Kicksey and Jennifer Tille Kicksey. When Austin was young, Jennifer married Mark Turner, who became a major influence in Austin’s life and helped shape the man he would become.
Austin graduated from Knoxville High School with the Class of 2012 and went on to attend Rhema Bible Training College in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Anyone who knew Austin in high school probably remembers that he could get a little silly. Involved in church drama skits was a natural fit for someone who loved engaging with people and could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. If a skit was written to be short, there was a pretty good chance Austin would find a way to make it last a little longer. He enjoyed making people laugh and being around people.
At his core, Austin was kindhearted, honest, and deeply devoted to God. Even growing up, he simply could not tell a lie—even when telling the truth meant he knew he was going to be in trouble. Austin was confident in his beliefs and never afraid to stand up for them. He could certainly be stubborn, but with Austin, that stubbornness usually came from knowing what he believed and refusing to compromise the things that mattered most to him.
There were three great loves in Austin’s life: Jesus, family, and basketball.
His faith wasn’t something Austin reserved for Sunday mornings. It was part of who he was and how he treated people. He had time for people. He had an ability to meet people wherever they were in life, listen to them without judgment, and then gently point them toward the path God had for them.
Austin, often known simply as “Kicks,” served with youth at Impact Church in Ozark, Missouri. Wednesday evenings found him doing something he truly loved—working with young people, teaching them the Gospel, laughing with them, encouraging them, and helping them grow in their faith.
Sundays brought another group Austin especially loved: the “littles.” He looked forward to opportunities to sit with the younger children and share with them his passion for Jesus in a way they could understand.
But Austin’s ministry never really stopped at the church doors. If there was a person nearby with an open ear or an open heart, Austin was willing to talk, listen, encourage, and share his faith. Jesus was simply that much a part of Austin’s heart.
Austin loved the basketball, and when he supported a team, he committed completely. That included making sure his outfit was color-coordinated with whichever team he was cheering for—right down to the high-top shoes that matched the team colors. It was just another little piece of the personality that made Kicks, Kicks.
Austin will be remembered for his humor, his honesty, his kindness, his stubborn streak, and his willingness to stand firmly for what he believed. Most importantly, he will be remembered for the way he loved Jesus and tried to share that love with everyone around him.
Austin is survived by his parents Jennifer (Mark) Turner, Noel Kicksey, and Kristy Kicksey; wife, Tiffani ; siblings: Amber (Nick) Schenck, Autumnn (Cameron) Van Wyk, Abbie (Jonathan) Hughes, Taylor Allee, and Spencer Kicksey; his grandparents: Al Tille, Sally McCombs, and Barb Holsey; and many nieces, nephews, church family, and countless friends whose lives were touched by Austin.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents Pat Tille and Charles Turner.
Austin lived only 32 years, but the measure of his life isn’t found simply in the number of years he was given. It can be found in the young people he encouraged, the children he taught, the family he loved, the friendships he built, and the faith he so openly shared.