Thomas Albert Hindman, 69, a lifelong Baker County resident, died May 2, 2002, at the Boise Veterans Hospital of complications of lung cancer. His wife and daughters were at his side.
His memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Baker Elks Lodge, 1896 Second St. Members of the Elks Lodge will officiate. Visitations were Saturday at Gray’s West & Co.
Tom was born in Baker City on May 20, 1932, to Charles M. and Lilly I. Hindman. He was raised at Durkee until his mother had to be admitted to a tuberculosis hospital. He then went to live with his aunt, Ethel Lee.
He was a 1950 Baker High School graduate. He joined the U.S. Navy shortly after graduation. During his four-year stint in the Navy, which was during the Korean War, he met and married Betty Dennis of Richland. They had three daughters, Audrey, Carol and Thomasana.
They divorced after 26 years of marriage. He married Sharon Billings in 1991.
Tom was a truck driver and rancher during his life. He dearly loved his cows and could identify them by name and recite their pedigrees. He loved fishing, hunting and the outdoors.
Tom was a lifelong member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Baker Elks Lodge, Eagles Lodge and the American Legion.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Anna; his parents; and a sister, Carol.
Survivors include his wife, Sharon of Durkee; daughters, Audrey Hindman of Baker City and Carol and son-in-law, Marvin Smith, of La Grande; stepsons, Sean Billings of Olympia, Wash., and Ken and his wife, Becky Billings, of Oregon City; stepdaughter, Karen Rotramel of Gresham; brothers and their spouses, Joe and Sharon of Pullman, Wash., Charles and Jeanitle of Boise, Jim and Erin of Baker City, Ed and Margit of Baker City, and Rich and May Ann of Redmond; a sister, Jan, and her husband, Paul Osgood, of Reno, Nev.; sister-in-law, Jan, and her husband, Ken Waldo, of Beaverton; brothers-in-law, Harold and his wife, Tami Cornelsen, of Tigard, Roger and his wife, Ginger Hatzenbuhler, of Beatrice, Neb.; nine grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Elks Scholarship Trust Fund or Doernbecher Children’s Hospital through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, May 10, 2002
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor