Obituary for Clyde Hinman Sr.

Clyde Alonzo Hinman Sr., (nicknamed “Herby then Herb”) went home to be with his heavenly father on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015, at St. John’s Hospital, Tulsa. Clyde was born the son of Alonzo Hinman and Edna Redleaf Hinman in Ponca City on Aug. 4, 1943. He attended and graduated Chilocco Indian School. Following graduation, Clyde attended junior college in Kansas, an air conditioning technical school in Los Angeles, Calif. and enlisted in the Armed Forces of the United States in 1966.

Clyde received and accepted Christ in 1979 at his home and was baptized by Reverend Ernest Best on the coldest day in January 1980 in Lake Eufaula. Clyde has never looked back nor taken his eyes off the Lord since he was born anew in the family of God. He shared with many that he was an Indian by race and a Christian by grace.

He met and married his soul mate, Harriet, in Los Angeles, Calif. They have two children, Theresa Marie Hinman and Clyde Alonzo “Herby” Hinman Jr. III Clyde and Harriet were looking forward to their 50 year golden anniversary in two years. Each and every year they would thank God for the years he had given them. They recently celebrated their 48th year in May 2015.

He was a family man who had a strong faith in Jesus Christ. His life was one of kindness and generosity and loved to give to others and share Christ with anyone who was seeking hope. He loved to talk with people, hear their stories, share his stories and would visit with anyone. He knew no strangers. One of his favorite sayings was, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” The first Sunday School he taught were 3-year olds at Bowen Indian Baptist Church, Tulsa. Later he taught the men’s class and many a pastor would slap him on the back and say, “The men aren’t that much different from the 3-year olds!” He was a member of Bowen Indian Baptist Church for many years, Calvary Baptist Church for several years and was most recently a member of Living Hope Baptist Church, Tulsa.

He worked for United Parcel Service (UPS) in California and Tulsa. He retired from UPS after suffering an injury. His fellow workers still visited with him throughout the years. There are many professional people in the Tulsa area that would run up to him and hug him because they have never forgotten the Native American UPS driver they knew and admired as children as he stopped at their door to deliver packages with goodies. It is simply amazing how many people he knew and how many people respected him as a “great” man of God and friendship. He led many a soul to the Lord over the years and cried with many people who simply saw compassion in his eyes and, even though they didn’t know him when they met him, he would ask them if he could buy them a cup of coffee or a Pepsi (his favorite pop) and before the person got up to leave, they are/were friends for life. Many of these people are unable to attend the service because the loss of their dear friend is a heavy burden for them to bear and they are struggling with accepting his leaving.

He served his country in the U.S. Military, not only as a soldier during Viet Nam, but also as a National Guard. Clyde was the grandchild of Chief Leslie Red Leaf and Ethel White Eagle, and Richard Hinman and Margret DeLodge. His great-grand parents were, Chief Red Leaf and Anna Big Kansas, Chief White Eagle and Julia Primeaux (Iron Shoe), Chief Samuel Hinman and Mona (Neoma) Raise-The-Others, and Chief John DeLodge and Susie White Shirt. His favorite things were spending time with his family, his Rottweilers, his cats, Issues and Foxy, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. One of his favorite meals was pinto beans, onions and fry bread made by his late sister, Edith Hinman Brown. The dearest event in his life was rising early each and every morning, and praying for his family, church, the Ponca Nation people and the down and out people that God placed in his life. There was many a time he came home and give Harriet a list of people to pray for that were suffering. When his alarm would go off early every morning, he said he was going to have his “chee” time with the Lord and no one was allowed to disturb him — this was his special time. Every night before he went to sleep, he would sit down on the bed and pray, many times weeping. Harriet would ask him if he was hurting or not feeling good and he would say, “Mama, I just can’t help praying and weeping for my loved ones and friends and our Indian people.” Clyde so much desired Christ in the lives of his family, friends and our Indian people. He was the wind beneath our family’s wings. Every year he would fold all the brochures/flyers that were mailed out for the Circle of Nations Conferences, praying over each envelope’s addressee. This consisted of 600 plus envelopes. He had a vision for the Circle team to share Christ with our boarding schools, orphanages and reservations and even though the Circle team serves on a two fish and five loaves of bread budget, God always had made a way through the giving of others to “go ye” (Matthew 28:16-20).

He enjoyed sports and was an avid Oklahoma State University football fan. Every year he and his daughter, Theresa, would faithfully root for OSU and his wife and son would root for the Oklahoma Sooners (OU). He supported all the American teams, recently the U.S. Women’s Soccer team and was a staunch supporter of Serena Williams and her sister Venus. His favorite football player was Johnny Unitas and his favorite football team was the Chicago Bears. He loved to go to Tulsa Shock games with Herby and drink coffee at his favorite cafe, Corner Cafe, where the staff had his table ready and he had his own coffee cup. When he couldn’t make it there his friends would text and call him to check on him. His favorite hymn was “Standing on the Promises.” He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Claudina Hinman and Edith Lou Hinman Brown. He leaves behind his wife, (soul mate and best friend), Harriet and his two children he has loved and nurtured through the years, Theresa Marie Hinman and Clyde Alonzo “Herby” Hinman, Jr. III. Both children have taken care of his physical needs for the past 14 years. At this time, Clyde’s journey became one of pain, physical ambulatory issues, medications, etc. Yet, he refused to be a victim. Through the love of his family, church and friends, his life grew stronger in Christ and he said, “We cannot give up! If we think we are suffering, just look at the little children suffering at Shriner’s Hospital, the Veterans and other medical places, the homeless, orphans, etc., and be thankful.”

Family members include his sister, Rebecca Hara and her family Edward Hara, Leslie Hara and Lou Hara; his late sister Edith Hinman Brown’s two sons, Acy Brown and Jarred Brown. A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Trout Funeral Home and Crematory.

Memorial contributions may be made to Circle of Nations Ministry Conference, P.O. Box 580351, Tulsa, OK 74158. He was a core member of this ministry which sponsors annual conferences at Arrow Heights Baptist Church, Broken Arrow and has ministered to Native American reservations in Nebraska, South Dakota, Arizona, California and in Oklahoma and is a co-laborer of Mission Point Ministry facilitating the on mission and church planting movement throughout the world.

Source: Trout Funeral Home