"TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WE LEAVE BEHIND IS NOT TO DIE."

Second child of John Herman and Anna Margaret Brandt Hinrichsen,Sr.
Married July 19, 1921 to Mildred Elizabeth Reis.
Father of Melvin Glen, Lester Lloyd, Jack Junior, Luree Mildred, Ivan Lee, Douglas Clark and Betty Lou.
Farmer.

John Herman Hinrichsen was born January 21, 1897, at Omaha, Ne. and passed away at his home Dec. 22, 1975.

He was baptized as a Lutheran . After moving to Pawnee he attended the Pleasant Dale United Brethren Church and later years the United Methodist Church, DuBois.

John was married to Mildred E. Reis. They celebrated their 54th Wedding anniversary July 19, 1975. Seven children were born to this union.

John farmed most of his life. In 1947 he and his family moved from Plattsmouth, Ne. to their present home south of Pawnee City.

He leaves to mourn: his loving wife Mildred; sons Melvin, Jack, Douglas; daughter Luree Ullman all of Pawnee City; son Ivan and daughter Betty Flanagin of Bennet, Ne.; four daughters-in-laws, two sons-in-laws; fifteen grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and six sisters.

His greatest pleasure in life was working, traveling, boating, and fishing with the family.

Services were held Dec. 24, at Wherry Brothers Mortuary, Pawnee City with Rev. T.J. Fraser officiating.

Music was furnished by Mrs. Byford Metzger accompanied by Mrs. Ross Thiemann.

Pallbearers were James Ullman, Jack Hinrichsen, Marvin Hinrichsen, Douglas Hinrichsen, Roger Hinrichsen, Dale Hinrichsen.

Interment was at the Pawnee City Cemetery.
(Pawnee Republican Obituary)

John was raised in the Omaha/Papillion, Nebraska area one of a large family. He went to a Lutheran school only through the third grade, but you never would have known that, because he was self educated, a whiz in math and very intelligent. You could write any six figure number, and six rows, before you could write the last number down he had the total! Maybe there was a trick to this, but I was very impressed! None of his family would talk much about their childhood days, it wasn't a happy time. John left home at an early age, 16, taking only a few possessions and a 30/30 lever action rifle that he had bought from a farmer he worked for, Francis Reis. He hopped a freight train headed west out of Omaha. He told of climbing Chimney Rock and leaving his name in a bottle there. He worked on the Great Plains Sugar Plant in Scottsbluff. Going further west into Wyoming in the Guernsey area he was a sheep herder. At Thermopolis he set up bowling pins in a business there. Eventually he worked his way to South Dakota where he got a job on a ranch near Pierre. He worked for Claire & Lester Bloom for about three years on a ranch, he herded sheep there too. His friend Slim was with him there, they stayed out long stretches of time, supplies would be brought to them from time to time. A lard bucket full of bullets was also given to them for protection and entertainment. He became an expert marksman, being able to shoot a coin out of the air when thrown. The sheep herders wagon was his home. One winter he was hauling a big load of coal and the wagon got stuck, he got off and someway he may have slipped, but the wagon went over his leg and broke it. He was in the hospital and laid up a long time. He was there about 3 years and remained friends with the family for life. He had to come back to Nebraska to sign up for Selective Service, he was called to serve in WWI & issued his gear. He was aboard the train to go when it was announced that the war was over. They were told just to go home. So he went back to work at the farm of Francis Reis, where his daughter Mildred caught John's eye. She won his heart and they were married on July. 21, 1921 at Sioux City, Iowa where John's older sister lived. They lived in the Papillion area, where all seven of their children were born, until 1947 when they bought a farm in Pawnee County, Nebraska and moved there. John was an honest man, always worked for what he had. They worked hard, but always made time to enjoy the family with movies, picnics, fishing, hunting, boating and vacations. Everybody respected him. He did love a good discussion and was known to get a hot topic going! Grandpa John was always taking the hands of the little ones and going for a walk with them. Him in his bib overalls, straw hat on his head and "roll-your-own cigarette in his mouth. John always had his arm around his sweetheart and looked at her with such love in his eyes. He was a thoughtful husband, making sure they would come in on time for the meals she prepared. He would on occasion do some cooking to help when she had washing to do or her hands were full from some other task. Even after a stroke in 1967 that affected his speech and left side, he worked until he was able to get back to his former self. He always made the best of everything, setting a good example for his children and others. His friends were many and made for life. His memory will live on.