1943
Michael
2013
Michael Hinman
July 4, 1943 — November 23, 2013
Michael James Hinman, 70, breathed his last on Saturday, November 23, 2013 surrounded by family and his excellent St. Alexius medical team.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, November 30, 2013 at Church of Corpus Christi, Bismarck, ND with Rev. Paul Becker as celebrant. Inurnment will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery at a later date.
Visitation will be held Friday, November 29, 2013 from 4:00-8:00 pm at Weigel Funeral Home, with a Prayer Service at 7:00 pm. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Lunch will follow the service.
Michael was born July 4, 1943 to Edna Ray Johnson Hinman and Ivan James Hinman at Drayton, ND. In his youth he lived with his mother and two brothers in Minneapolis, MN. Great Falls, MT. and Pembina, ND graduating from Pembina High in 1961. He began college at UND but then became a “dropout” to go on the road performing in the Greenbriar Trio with dear friends Bob Yanish and Ron Kuhn. Michael joined the Navy in 1964. He spent six months at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. Next came Pensacola, FL on the USNS Joseph E. Muller. Finally he was stationed at Guantanamo Bay where he translated Spanish communication from Cuba during the Vietnam War. When discharged in 1968, Mike earned the National Defense Service Medal. He remained a patriot and a proud Veteran.
Mike returned to UND in 1968 and was working at UND Wilkerson office when he met Joyce Becker. They developed as friends and became soul mates. They were married on June 11, 1973 in Selfridge, ND. Earlier in June 2013 they celebrated their 40th anniversary with family and friends. Mike earned a BS in Political Science in 1970 and completed his Juris Doctor in 1973, passing the Bar exam in July, 1973. Michael then was hired at the ND Supreme Court working as a clerk for one year. In 1974, Mr. Hinman was hired by Basin Electric Power Cooperative. A distinction he would share was his employee #98, meaning he was one of the first one hundred people hired for Basin when headquarters was housed in downtown Bismarck. His 25 year career with Basin saw rapid growth including the acquisition of the Dakota Gasification Plant. While he handled legal matters for Basin, Mike also volunteered for many organizations earning the Pro Bono Award from the ND Bar Association in 1988.
In 1992, Mike was elected and served on the Bismarck City Commission. Working hard with Mayor Sorensen and other commissioners, Mike had a hand in not only saving the Belle Mehus Auditorium, but preserving/restoring it. Other projects included the River Trail System and finally getting the Community Bowl operational. He always shied away from taking credit, but was proud to have been part of the growth and development of the City. He hosted the Art View Show on Cable Access Television, served on the boards for Northern Lights, Dakota Stage and Neighbors Network.
Mike had talent galore that he shared freely with the community. Part of Northern Lights Barbershop Chorus for years, he spread harmony and wrote some of the show scripts including his favorite railroad one. He sang with the group “Big People.” His acting and singing for BSC with Jane Grey Stewart included “Guys and Dolls” and “Showboat”. When BPS held a fundraiser he was the auctioneer in the play, “The Auction.” Near and dear to his heart were all the plays and cast members through Dakota Stage, LTD. The list is long with some of his most memorable, or favorites being the 3 month run of “I Do, I Do” that raised money to move to the present DSL location. He relished being Noah in “Two By Two”, Abbot Costello in “Monky Business”, and Mother of the Bride in “Kindergarten”, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Proof”. This shining star has now moved on to a bigger stage.
Mike and Joyce loved to travel the world from DC to Hawaii; Alaska to Florida to New Mexico; several countries in Europe and Australia/New Zealand. Joy and Dan are also remembering all the places they’ve gone and things they’ve done together. Mike was particularly proud of the fine young adults Joy and Dan had become.
Special mention goes to the golfing buddies who shared such fellowship at least twice a week for so many summers. He always felt “lucky” to be part of the group. In his last hours, when Mike was singing, joking and planning ahead, he really was going to recover to make the Arizona golf trip in February. He will be there in spirit and probably keeping score! He had only begun to develop his “Papa” role but truly loved Julia and Jayda to the moon and back.
Surviving Michael are his “child bride” (as he would say), Joyce Hinman; daughter, Joy (Judd) Steinback; son, Daniel Hinman and special friend, Amy Knudson; two granddaughters Julia and Jayda Steinback; brother, Keith (Doris) Hinman; nephews, John (Karissa) and James Hinman; niece Ruthe (Devon) Douglas; all the in-laws, Ted Becker, George (Dianne), Herb (Vicky) Becker, Pat (Bergetta) Becker and many cousins, nieces and nephews, too.
Michael was preceded in death by his mother, Edna Ray Hinman; his father, Ivan Hinman; brother, John Hinman; father and mother-in-law, Joe and Julia Becker along with several uncles and aunts.
The family suggests memorials to North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, any arts group of the donor’s choice, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Give Kids the World.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, November 30, 2013 at Church of Corpus Christi, Bismarck, ND with Rev. Paul Becker as celebrant. Inurnment will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery at a later date.
Visitation will be held Friday, November 29, 2013 from 4:00-8:00 pm at Weigel Funeral Home, with a Prayer Service at 7:00 pm. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Lunch will follow the service.
Michael was born July 4, 1943 to Edna Ray Johnson Hinman and Ivan James Hinman at Drayton, ND. In his youth he lived with his mother and two brothers in Minneapolis, MN. Great Falls, MT. and Pembina, ND graduating from Pembina High in 1961. He began college at UND but then became a “dropout” to go on the road performing in the Greenbriar Trio with dear friends Bob Yanish and Ron Kuhn. Michael joined the Navy in 1964. He spent six months at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. Next came Pensacola, FL on the USNS Joseph E. Muller. Finally he was stationed at Guantanamo Bay where he translated Spanish communication from Cuba during the Vietnam War. When discharged in 1968, Mike earned the National Defense Service Medal. He remained a patriot and a proud Veteran.
Mike returned to UND in 1968 and was working at UND Wilkerson office when he met Joyce Becker. They developed as friends and became soul mates. They were married on June 11, 1973 in Selfridge, ND. Earlier in June 2013 they celebrated their 40th anniversary with family and friends. Mike earned a BS in Political Science in 1970 and completed his Juris Doctor in 1973, passing the Bar exam in July, 1973. Michael then was hired at the ND Supreme Court working as a clerk for one year. In 1974, Mr. Hinman was hired by Basin Electric Power Cooperative. A distinction he would share was his employee #98, meaning he was one of the first one hundred people hired for Basin when headquarters was housed in downtown Bismarck. His 25 year career with Basin saw rapid growth including the acquisition of the Dakota Gasification Plant. While he handled legal matters for Basin, Mike also volunteered for many organizations earning the Pro Bono Award from the ND Bar Association in 1988.
In 1992, Mike was elected and served on the Bismarck City Commission. Working hard with Mayor Sorensen and other commissioners, Mike had a hand in not only saving the Belle Mehus Auditorium, but preserving/restoring it. Other projects included the River Trail System and finally getting the Community Bowl operational. He always shied away from taking credit, but was proud to have been part of the growth and development of the City. He hosted the Art View Show on Cable Access Television, served on the boards for Northern Lights, Dakota Stage and Neighbors Network.
Mike had talent galore that he shared freely with the community. Part of Northern Lights Barbershop Chorus for years, he spread harmony and wrote some of the show scripts including his favorite railroad one. He sang with the group “Big People.” His acting and singing for BSC with Jane Grey Stewart included “Guys and Dolls” and “Showboat”. When BPS held a fundraiser he was the auctioneer in the play, “The Auction.” Near and dear to his heart were all the plays and cast members through Dakota Stage, LTD. The list is long with some of his most memorable, or favorites being the 3 month run of “I Do, I Do” that raised money to move to the present DSL location. He relished being Noah in “Two By Two”, Abbot Costello in “Monky Business”, and Mother of the Bride in “Kindergarten”, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Proof”. This shining star has now moved on to a bigger stage.
Mike and Joyce loved to travel the world from DC to Hawaii; Alaska to Florida to New Mexico; several countries in Europe and Australia/New Zealand. Joy and Dan are also remembering all the places they’ve gone and things they’ve done together. Mike was particularly proud of the fine young adults Joy and Dan had become.
Special mention goes to the golfing buddies who shared such fellowship at least twice a week for so many summers. He always felt “lucky” to be part of the group. In his last hours, when Mike was singing, joking and planning ahead, he really was going to recover to make the Arizona golf trip in February. He will be there in spirit and probably keeping score! He had only begun to develop his “Papa” role but truly loved Julia and Jayda to the moon and back.
Surviving Michael are his “child bride” (as he would say), Joyce Hinman; daughter, Joy (Judd) Steinback; son, Daniel Hinman and special friend, Amy Knudson; two granddaughters Julia and Jayda Steinback; brother, Keith (Doris) Hinman; nephews, John (Karissa) and James Hinman; niece Ruthe (Devon) Douglas; all the in-laws, Ted Becker, George (Dianne), Herb (Vicky) Becker, Pat (Bergetta) Becker and many cousins, nieces and nephews, too.
Michael was preceded in death by his mother, Edna Ray Hinman; his father, Ivan Hinman; brother, John Hinman; father and mother-in-law, Joe and Julia Becker along with several uncles and aunts.
The family suggests memorials to North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, any arts group of the donor’s choice, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Give Kids the World.
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