James "Jim" Hinrichs

This last Sunday, March 7, 2021, our community lost the bright light of James Alan “Jim” Hinrichs. At 65 years old, he passed in his sleep comfortably at his home in Hastings, completely surrounded by his family.

Jim was born at Mary Lanning in Hastings and grew up on a farm outside of Giltner. He graduated from Giltner High School in 1974 and began his work life at a marble company in Juniata and then Carmichael Construction. He soon went on to begin work at Thermo King of Hastings where he worked for 34 years as a Quality Engineer while also making some very close friends whom he was very grateful to have worked alongside.

One evening in 1978, he met the love of his life, Barbara (Kathman) Hinrichs, at the Ponderosa Bowling Alley. On February 9, 1980, they married and began their life together in Hastings where they still remain today. They have four children together – Josh Hinrichs, Mitzi Taylor, Nick Hinrichs, & Makenzie Hinrichs. Mitzi married Danell Taylor in 2005 and they have two daughters, Jamelah and Ariah, who loved their visits with “Papa” very much.

Jim was active in both his church community at St. Cecilia’s Parish and the kids’ school community at Hastings Catholic Schools. He participated as an acolyte, Eucharistic minister, and member of Knights of Columbus for the church. Then with the school, he enjoyed keeping the scorebooks for basketball, running chain-gang for football, taking charge as the “Head Noodlehead” to make homemade noodles for the annual Chicken Noodle Dinner, and most of all loved supporting his kids through all their various extra-curriculars.

After the kids all graduated and things slowed down, he was able to really dive into all of his favorite pastimes. This included landscaping (especially with his gnomes!), remodeling his home for “his wifey”, collecting Hot Wheels by the hundreds, reading the latest John Grisham novel, or slapping whatever he could find on his smoker for dinner.

While Jim did face several medical struggles through his time, an outsider may not have known except in some of his greater times of need. He was a very faithful man to his God and he dedicates this strong faith to Barb who always inspired him to lead a better, holier life. It is this same faith that got him through many tough challenges and it is this same faith that calls him home after one last fight.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents Edward and Zelma Hinrichs, his two older brothers, Wayne and Stanley Hinrichs, and two brothers-in-law, Jack and Dick Crawford.

SURVIVORS:
Wife:
Barb Hinrichs – Hastings, NE
Children & Spouse:
Joshua Hinrichs – Lincoln, NE
Mitzi & Danell Taylor – Omaha, NE
Nicholas Hinrichs & fiancée Gaby Ramirez – Omaha, NE
Makenzie Hinrichs – Kansas City, MO
Grandchildren:
Jamelah
Ariah
Siblings & Spouse:
Kae & Royal Miller – Hastings, NE
Mary Crawford – Phillips, NE
Marge Crawford – Phillips, NE
Sister-in-law:
Patricia Hinrichs – Colorado Springs, CO
And many other family members

Rosary will be 9:30 a.m. Thursday, March 11, and Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10 a.m. at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Hastings with Father Christopher Kubat officiating. Burial will be at Parkview Cemetery in Hastings. Visitation will be 1-7 p.m. with family present 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to St. Cecilia’s Parish or to the memorial fund set-up at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (search for the existing Jim Hinrichs Memorial fund or following this link: https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/GiftFunds/GiftFunds?px=6950785&pg=personal&fr_id=39300 .) The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s Facebook page. The direct link for that page is www.facebook.com/lbvfh , the link will not be live until five minutes before service time. For the health and safety of others face masks are required for those attending the visitation and funeral, your cooperation is appreciated. Since there are material sharing restrictions, we ask that you bring your own pen for signing the registration book or memorial envelopes. If you do not bring one, we can do that for you.