Obituary of Jack Keeler Hinman

Jack Keeler Hinman passed away at the age of 92 on November 7 2020, at the Alice Center in Malone. He was born on March 6, 1928 and was the son of Pierre Hinman and Joyce (Keeler) Hinman of Bangor, NY. Mr. Hinman attended the Malone public schools and graduated from Franklin Academy in 1946. He attended Norwich University for 1 year, then transferred to the University of Vermont, graduating in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology. In June of 1950, Mr. Hinman was commissioned in the United States army as a second lieutenant and was on active duty in the Korean War, serving from May 1951 to May 1953 with the 1 st Calvary Division, F Troop, 8th Regiment. He continued serving his country as a member of the US Army Reserves at the 310 Field Hospital, where he was Executive Officer, until his retirement in 1977 at the rank of Major, for a total of 27 years of military service. Upon his return from Korea, Mr. Hinman attended graduate school at the University of Vermont, earning a Master of Education degree in 1955. He taught physics and chemistry at Franklin Academy for nine years before becoming principal in 1962, a position he held and enjoyed for 23 years until his retirement in September of 1985. On August of 1961, he married Ingeborg Kleppel at the First Congregational Church in Malone. They enjoyed raising their family together, traveling in North America and Europe, spending time with good friends, and spending summers at the family camp on Indian Lake. They were married for 51 years. Mr. Hinman has served the community he loved in many ways. He was an Eagle Scout with three palms in the Boy Scouts of America. He has been a member of the Malone Rotary Club since 1962 and was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award. He served as President of the Franklin County Heart Association, President of the Alice Hyde Hospital Association, and President of the Alice Hyde Hospital Foundation. He was a trustee of the First Congregational Church, a member of the Board of Directors for Citizen’s National Bank (now Community Bank), and served on the Board of Governors New York State Hospital Trustees. In retirement, he enjoyed being a trail guide at the Adirondack Interpretive Center in Paul Smiths for many years. He was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Phi Delta Kappa Honorary Education fraternities. He was a long time member of Amvets, the Elks Lodge, and a lifetime member of the American Legion, the National Rifle Association, and the Reserve Officers Association. Mr. Hinman was predeceased by his loving wife of 51 years, Ingeborg Kleppel Hinman, and his granddaughter, Christine Ordway. He is survived by two stepsons and two daughters-in-law, Leif N. Chaffee and his wife Penelope of Mammoth Cave, KY, and Michael W. Chaffee and his wife Shon of Union, KY; a daughter and son-in-law, Elisabeth Williams and her husband Robert of Phoenixville, PA; grandchildren Emma, Tess, Clint, Scott and Dan Chaffee; great-grandchildren Ashley Doers, Jeremy Ordway, Adam Chaffee, and Kristina Escobar ; great-great-grandchildren Juliana Zuniga, Lucas Escobar, Mila Escobar, and Beau Ordway. A celebration of Mr. Hinman’s life will be held at the First Congregational Church of Malone sometime in the spring or early summer of 2021 when it is once again safe for those who wish to attend. Interment will be in Morningside Cemetery of Malone. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Frary-Spaulding Funeral Home of Malone. In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made to the Mountain View Association, P.O. Box 35, Owls Head, NY 12969.