Shirley W Hinds

Shirley W. Hinds of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on June 6th, 2020 at the age of 93. She was surrounded by her five children: Dr. Ralph Winthrop Hinds, III and his wife Pam, Jeffrey A. Hinds and, in spirit, his late wife Debbie, Meredith V. Sullivan, Kim O’Brien and her husband Kelly, Pamela M. Heinrich and her husband Tom. Shirley is also survived by her brother Kingsley A. Whipple and his wife Rose-Marie of Rhode Island, her 10 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and 15 nieces and nephews. Shirley joins her husband, Ralph W. Hinds, Jr., who passed away in January 1993. Shirley was a proud Yankee and New Englander. As a direct descendant of the famous Mayflower passenger, John Howland, she would often smile and say, “You don’t get more Yankee than that!” Shirley was born in Providence, Rhode Island to Marion Raybold Whipple and Harvey Abbott Whipple, Sr., and she spent a happy childhood in Cranston with her three brothers; Richard (Dick), Harvey Jr., and Kingsley (King). In 1945 she began college, attending Wheaton College and Brown University. Shirley graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Brown University in 1949 with honors in Philosophy. It was at Brown where she met and fell in love with Ralph, who was attending the University on a military scholarship after distinguishing himself as a Sergeant in World War II. Shirley and Ralph were married on April 2, 1950 and over the next 10 years were busy with their five young children. In 1962, Shirley and Ralph moved their growing family to Oconomowoc and became active in school activities, curriculum, and sports events. Despite their busy family life, Shirley and Ralph were committed to local and national politics, volunteering for numerous campaigns and elections. Shirley had a great love for Oconomowoc and a passion for history and conservation. Shirley and Ralph’s tireless efforts secured the preservation of many of Oconomowoc’s original landmarks and buildings; most notably the Oconomowoc City Hall built in 1886 and restored under Shirley and Ralph’s watchful engagement in 1983. Following Ralph’s death, Shirley went back to working outside the home after 40 years. First, as the bookkeeper for the Waukesha County Red Cross and then, as the Innkeeper for the Inn at Pine Terrace in Oconomowoc, finally “retiring” at the age of 80! Never one to be idle, Shirley continued her work with the Oconomowoc Historical Society and Museum as a member of the Board of Directors, as well as volunteering for many committees and projects for the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the Heritage Trails (Oconomowoc) Chapter of The Questors, an international organization dedicated to historical preservation and restoration. She remained a docent and Exhibits Committee Chair for the Historical Society and was the editor of various newsletters and publications for these organizations until her death. Shirley will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Ralph, in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. We know she loves the fact that she died on D-Day celebrating our brave heroes of World War II, including Ralph. A memorial will be held in the near future. Donations may be made to the Oconomowoc Area Historical Society and Museum or the Veterans Memorial Park of Oconomowoc.