The Life of WILLIS FRED HINRICHS
Willie was born to Fred and Maggie Hinrichs on October 12, 1933 on a farm near Little Rock, Iowa. He grew up farming, attending country school, working at Bennie’s Gas Station, and graduated from Little Rock High School. As a teenager he made profession of faith at the Salem Reformed Church.
As a young adult he moved to Des Moines, Iowa and began working for John Deere in Ankeny. He started as a welder and later an experimental machinist testing cotton pickers and tillage equipment on farms throughout the U.S. He also attended an electrician course through Kansas City and spent many hours doing electrical work and wiring in homes.
In Des Moines Willie met, dated and fell in love with Jean Terpstra. They were married on June 12, 1958. They made their home together in, what was then, the small town of Ankeny, Iowa. They had 4 children, Kenley, Curt, Vonnie and Jeff.
They were members of Bethany Reformed Church and also involved with Bell Ringers and Boys State of Iowa.
Willie enjoyed life. The things that mattered most to him was his faith in God, Bible devotions, and attending church. He loved his family. He loved getting together for special occasions and holidays, family reunions, and campouts. Together his family enjoyed traveling on vacations, boating, hunting, and fishing. Willie took pleasure in his acreage home, riding his John Deere tractor, and giving tractor rides, feeding the birds, squirrels and deer, gardening, chopping wood, polka and country music, and collecting clocks.
He is survived by his wife, Jean; three sons, Kenley of Idaho, Curt of Des Moines, Jeff (Launa) of Ankeny; and daughter, Vonnie (Kent) Whitmore of Ankeny. He had 7 grandchildren, Hayley, Alicia, Bryce (Cassie), Abby, Samantha, Maggie, and Will; and one great-grandchild, Leland.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Maggie Hinrichs; his siblings, Anna Mae Klassen, Jennie Drenth, and Bruce Hinrichs.
As a young adult he moved to Des Moines, Iowa and began working for John Deere in Ankeny. He started as a welder and later an experimental machinist testing cotton pickers and tillage equipment on farms throughout the U.S. He also attended an electrician course through Kansas City and spent many hours doing electrical work and wiring in homes.
In Des Moines Willie met, dated and fell in love with Jean Terpstra. They were married on June 12, 1958. They made their home together in, what was then, the small town of Ankeny, Iowa. They had 4 children, Kenley, Curt, Vonnie and Jeff.
They were members of Bethany Reformed Church and also involved with Bell Ringers and Boys State of Iowa.
Willie enjoyed life. The things that mattered most to him was his faith in God, Bible devotions, and attending church. He loved his family. He loved getting together for special occasions and holidays, family reunions, and campouts. Together his family enjoyed traveling on vacations, boating, hunting, and fishing. Willie took pleasure in his acreage home, riding his John Deere tractor, and giving tractor rides, feeding the birds, squirrels and deer, gardening, chopping wood, polka and country music, and collecting clocks.
He is survived by his wife, Jean; three sons, Kenley of Idaho, Curt of Des Moines, Jeff (Launa) of Ankeny; and daughter, Vonnie (Kent) Whitmore of Ankeny. He had 7 grandchildren, Hayley, Alicia, Bryce (Cassie), Abby, Samantha, Maggie, and Will; and one great-grandchild, Leland.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Maggie Hinrichs; his siblings, Anna Mae Klassen, Jennie Drenth, and Bruce Hinrichs.