Helen Hinz, age 95, of Winneconne died peacefully Wednesday morning, June 17, 2015, at Evergreen Retirement Community in Oshkosh.
She was born January 19, 1920, in Madison to Emil and Hattie Acker, the youngest of four children, two brothers and a sister. At age 4 after the death of her mother, Helen and her sister Fern went to be raised by her Aunt Lucretia Acker and Uncle Rev. Albert Acker. Helen graduated with honors from Sparta High School and earned her B.S. in teaching from LaCrosse State Teachers College. In 1945 she married Orville Hinz and they ended up making their home in Winneconne and raising four children. Helen taught English and was a Librarian for many years, most of which were at Winneconne. She also served on the Winneconne School board for several years. Helen was a very active member of First Presbyterian Church in Winneconne, where she played the organ for most of 25 years and taught Sunday school and served as an Elder of the church for many years. After her retirement from Winneconne schools in 1976, and from playing organ at First Presbyterian Church in 1981, Helen cared for her husband who had a degenerative disease. After Orville's death in 1981, Helen went on to do mission work through Volunteers in Mission with the Presbyterian Church. Of the 12 years in mission, she did volunteer work at Menaul School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, FISH (served the hungry and homeless) in Portland, Oregon, Sitka College in Sitka, Alaska, and the Heifer Project International in Perryville, Arkansas. In 1995 she returned home to Winneconne and lived for many years with her dear friend Betty Brown where the two had many travels together throughout the United States as well as Panama and Canada. After failing health Helen moved to Evergreen in 2012.
Helen is survived by her four children, LuAnn Hinz, of Des Moines, Iowa; Gib (Diane) Hinz, of Kelowna, British Columbia Canada; Bill Hinz, of Winneconne; Kurt (Lori) Hinz, of Waukau; three grandchildren, Elissa Hinz, Will (Ashley) Hinz, Jessica Hinz (fiancé, Brandon) and a great-granddaughter, Zoey.
Along with her parents and husband, Helen was also preceded in death by a sister, Fern White; two brothers, Norman and Milton; and her dear friend, Betty Brown.
A visitation for family and friends will be on Monday, June 22, 2015, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Mueller Funeral Home 904 E. Main St. Winneconne. A funeral service will be held on Monday at 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Mara Rivera officiating. Burial will follow in the Winneconne Cemetery.
A memorial has been established for Helen's favorite charities.
Helen's family wishes to specially thank the staff at Evergreen Garden Heights for the exceptional care and compassion shown to their mom and family.
Helen leaves a legacy of giving that will be sorely missed by everyone that knew her.
If you wish please submit online condolences to muellerfuneralhomeinc.com.