Clara Hinman

(From Parker Mortuary)

Clara Mae Maxwell Berghaus Hinman, age 96, of Webb City, passed away on Saturday, September 23, 2017 in Joplin.

Clara was born December 16, 1920 in Reno County, Kansas near Partridge. The doctor had traveled to the farm home of Clarion and Carrie Maxwell, and delivered the child, but found himself stranded in a blizzard. He was able to return to town the next day. Clair's two sisters, Esther and Martha, were there to greet the new little baby girl.

Clara and her sisters attended a small country school for several years. Later on the family sold their farm and moved to Meade, Kansas where Clara graduated from high school in 1939. This was the difficult times of the Great Depression, and Clara worked at various jobs in Meade. She was working at M&M Drug Store as a soda fountain girl when the news on the radio announced the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Clara enjoyed and excelled at many sports during her youth, including basketball, baseball, tennis, and swimming. During these hard times, she made money babysitting for 25 cents per night, working for local stores, and also helped her father with the farm which she loved. She held a Saturday job at the Ideal Food Store, and worked at Pope's Hamburger in the summers. She also helped out an elderly couple.

In 1939 she married Ralph Berghaus, and she became a farm and ranch wife. However, Ralph was killed in an airplane crash three years later, and Clara moved to Liberal, Kansas. Then in 1951 she married Raymond Hinman, and they moved to Flagler, Colorado where they owned and worked a farm and ranch.

Clara loved farm life, and enjoyed gardening, cooking, and being a caring helpmate to Raymond. She was an active member for 50 years at St. Mary's Catholic Church of Flagler where she taught religion classes, and served on the Altar and Rosary Society. She has attended Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Webb City, Missouri for the past 11 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarion and Carrie Maxwell, husbands, Ralph Berghaus and Raymond Hinman, and her two sisters, Esther and Martha.

Survivors include her son, Greg Hinman and wife Charlene of Webb City; grandchildren, Carrie Gilstrap and husband Jason of Owasso, Oklahoma, Joni Baker of Webb City; great-grandchildren, Lainey Gilstrap, Kinsley Gilstrap, Mason Baker, and Kaleigh Baker; several nieces and nephews.

Memorial mass will be Thursday, September 28, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Rahab Isidor officiating.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer's Association or the Flagler, Colorado Rural Fire Department.