William C. Hinson III, of Charlotte, N.C., died peacefully on Saturday, August 31, 2019. A lifelong resident of Charlotte, he was the only child of Carl and Julie Hinson. He graduated from Myers Park High School in 1961 and The Citadel in 1965. Then there was a wedding to his “true love” and off to flight school for training as an Army aviator before leaving to serve a year in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. Returning safely without a Purple Heart, but with a Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Combat Infantry Badge among his decorations, he completed his military service with the rank of Captain as an instructor pilot. In civilian life, he and his wife Ann raised three wonderful children, now married and with their own: Stewart and Sam Hieb and their son, Carl and daughter, Esther; Erin and Gilbert Bailey and their daughters, Lorelei and Isadora; and Will and Allegra Hinson and their sons, Liam and Rowan. His long and successful career in the construction material and equipment industry began with a letter of inquiry to a prospective employer written on “Snoopy for President” stationery. If you knew him “when,” this would not surprise you. His sense of humor was wry and edgy to say the least. He was fun to be around, a man with a big personality, a good heart, and all manner of friends. As the years went by though, the man that he was began to disappear and he was eventually diagnosed with behavioral variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD). If you look it up, you will see what that means it will explain the unexplainable. And if he had been able to apologize, he would have. In spite of his decline in recent years and the struggles he has had, we will remember him as a kind, generous, loving and devoted son, husband, father, grandfather, neighbor, and friend. We will remember him, too, as we consider the things he loved: okra (any way you fix it), fishing, peanut M&Ms, Ford trucks, golf, the Redskins, oysters, being on time, wearing his kilt and his seersucker suit, popcorn, yellow tulips, peanut butter/butter/and jelly sandwiches, the Braves, Seinfeld, march music, cashew nuts, his two favorite movies (Patton and Field of Dreams), Cheerwine, and the color blue (to name a few). And we honor him as we think about the accomplishments he was proudest of: his service to his country; the business he was able to build with his son; and the family he leaves behind. We are so very grateful for the loving care Bill received over the last 10 months from the wonderful staff at The Pearl Assisted Living in Ft. Mill and from the Hospice nurses, as well, at the last. We are equally grateful for the steadfast understanding, love, and support we have received from so many for so long; it has given us the strength to stay the course. Bill’s funeral service will take place at 11:00 on Saturday, September 21 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, located at the corner of North Tryon and 7th Streets; a reception will follow in the Parish Hall. Ample free parking is available in the Transamerica parking deck which is accessible across from the church on 7th Street. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Endowment, 115 W. 7th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202; Agape Hospice of Rock Hill, 1326 Ebenezer Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732; or a charity of the donor’s choosing.
Posted in: obituarydata.com
Posted on: 2019-09-18
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