| Graduation Year | Faculty |
| Date of Passing | Dec 03, 2021 |
| About | Helen M. Hinman of Yakima passed away on Dec. 3rd, 2021. She was born in Spokane, WA on Dec. 8th, 1933 and was adopted at an early age by John and Florence Connors. In 1945 the family moved outside Valentine, NE to the Fort Niobrara Wildlife Refuge where her dad was the Game Warden. She graduated from Valentine High School and attended Chadron State College, Wayne State and College of Idaho where she received her double master’s in Music and English. After college, she was named Music Director for Hemingford High School and was a very accomplished musician playing 1st chair flute for the Sioux City Symphony. She met her husband Max Hopkins while attending college and they were married on Dec. 28th, 1952. Together they had a daughter and two sons. Connie, whom they lost in infancy and Ron and Tom. Tragedy struck again when Max suffered a massive heart attack on a 4H trip with his son Tom in Omaha, NE. Helen moved the family to Marsing, ID, where she was both the Elementary Principal and VP for the high school at the same time! It was there that she met the other love of her life, Don Hinman. Don and Helen were married in 1969 and moved to Idaho Falls, ID. In 1971 they moved to Yakima, WA where she got a job with the Yakima School District. She worked as a counselor at AC Davis and Eisenhower High Schools and finished her career at Franklin Middle School. Helen has received several accolades over the years including the prestigious WA State Business and Professional Women’s Achievement award, the S.I. Anton Award, the National Counselor of the Year award and numerous other awards. However, her most coveted achievement was when the Prime Minister of Israel invited Don and her to Israel to help evaluate the schools, which they did. Don and Helen had huge hearts, caring for over twenty foster children for the Casey Family Foundation. Sometime later, they were named WA State Foster Parents of the year! They also had 9 exchange students and later traveled to each one’s home. Their travels took them to Japan, The Netherlands, Germany, Wales, and the Czech Republic. Many of them keep in touch today! Don and Helen loved to travel. They saw Hailey’s Comet in New Zealand, rode camels in Egypt and especially enjoyed their trips to Mexico, Canada, and Hawaii with good friends, Jerry and Linda Nelson. Their favorites were Puerto Vallarta and Kauai. She loved reading on the beach listening to the waves of the ocean. Helen was truly a remarkable woman surviving breast, skin, and brain cancers while battling severe asthma. She gave it a great fight and will be gravely missed. She is preceded in death by her parents John and Flo Connors, husband Max Hopkins, and daughter Connie. She is survived by her husband Don, her sons Ron Hopkins and Tom (Terrie) Hinman and two grandsons Quintin and Colton Hinman and her beloved dog, Oscar. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 at Wesley United Methodist Church. Those wishing to honor Helen’s memory may contribute to All Mutts Great and Small and send in care of Shaw & Sons Funeral Home (201 N. 2nd St., Yakima, WA 98901) who is caring for the family. Memories and condolences can be shared at www.shawandsons.com. |
