Leroy Hinton

LeRoy Henry ‘Hank’ Hinton Jr., 77, passed away peacefully on January 12th, 2017 at the Hope West Hospice in Grand Junction, CO.

Born September 29th, 1939 in Council Grove, Kansas to the late LeRoy and Viola Hinton. He lived in Kansas until age 2 then resided in Colorado. On November 3rd, 1962 he married Donna Blumer in Arvada, CO.

Hank was a veteran of the US Navy (1957-60) and was stationed in Hawaii and Alaska. He attended Mesa Junior College and graduated with a BS in Business Administration from University of Denver in 1965.

Hank was president and CEO of Universal Plumbing Supply in Denver, CO until 1989. He then purchased and managed Franktown Foods in Franktown, CO and became a real estate agent.  In 2000, Hank and his wife Donna relocated to Fruita where he continued his real estate career. While at Mesa Junior College, he was student body president, and also served on the national ‘People-to-People’ committee as well as an executive office at the state level.  He was an active member of the Colorado/Wyoming Optimist Club and served as governor from 1977-1978. He was a member of the Home Builders Association of Denver and received the Arthur Gaeth “Man of the Year Award” for outstanding service to the building industry and the community in 1975.  He assisted with bringing Special Olympics to Colorado, helped organize and ran the Colorado Optimist Club ‘Tri-Star Youth Basketball’ program, was an active community member, coached girls’ softball and boys’ basketball. Hank loved his hunting/fishing/horseback adventures, fishing at Maroon Bells with the family and golfing at The Pinery Country Club. Hank was extremely outgoing, full of life, hardworking and dedicated to his family. He was a loving father, husband, grandfather and friend to all.

He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, mother and father-in-law (Roy and Elsie Blumer), sister, Mary Alice and brother, Lt. Dennis Hinton.

Hank is survived by his loving wife Donna of 54 years and brother, John Hinton (Sandy Shafer).  He was extremely proud and adoring of his 2 daughters, Carrie Kirkutis, of Edwards, and Cheryl (Ross) Goldberg, of Avon, and 5 loving grandchildren; Christina Kirkutis, Colton Kirkutis, Brandon Kirkutis, Traver Goldberg and Spencer Goldberg.

An interment with military funeral honors will be held on Friday, January 27th, 1:00 pm at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery, 2830 Riverside Pkwy, Grand Junction, CO followed by a reception.

A special thank you to Hope West Hospice in Grand Junction for their loving care and support and to Brown’s Cremation and Funeral Service.