Lois M. Hinkle Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

"Danny" ...the quintessential mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend...was reunited with "her guy" husband Tom on August 14th, 2019.\r\n\r\nShe was born in Talladega, Alabama to Edna and Gustave McCarter on January 2, 1925. In 1939 she moved west with her family to Salt Lake City.\r\n\r\nThanks to an introduction from her brother Murray, she found the love of her life in Thomas F. Hinkle. They were married on August 31st, 1946, and welcomed daughters Robyn and Leslye not long after. Then followed a succession of several cats, a few dozen dogs, one bird, three grandchildren, six great grandchildren, and sundry little things that over the years make two people a family and eventually a legacy.\r\n\r\nDanny's cup of life was filled to the brim with happiness and adventure, and she often reminded us, "My cup runneth over!".\r\n\r\nFor 49 years, she and Tom worked side-by-side at their flower shop, Celestial Flowers, located on South Temple. She would often reminisce about the long days and nights spent at the design table burning the midnight oil, creating beautiful floral designs, and the grooves her high heels eventually wore into the hardwood floor beneath her feet! Her favorite flowers were gardenias, daises and peonies. She always had something blossoming in her house and in her garden.\r\n\r\nA proper southern lady with a wicked wit, she always knew what to say and do at any given moment, and knew exactly what outfit to wear for every occasion. Always ahead of the curve with regard to trends and fashion, her knitting and sewing skills were second to none. If it could not be found in a store she would simply would make it.\r\n\r\nIn the early 1970's combining her love of fashion, knitting, sewing and business, Lois decided to establish Trolley Children, a retail store in the then new Trolley Square by signing the second lease for commercial space. Thus began many lifelong friendships and new adventures as a business woman, including a permanent showroom in the Los Angeles Apparel Mart and working as an advisor to a Fortune 500 Company. Upon TC's great success, she was invited to establish the children's department at Makoff.\r\n\r\nShe enjoyed many happy retirement years in California, and could often be heard teasing us all to not be the last one in the pool! She loved to shop for the perfect treasure and delighted in "hitting the racks" from Neiman Marcus to Bonwit Teller. She was an avid cook and baker and often created her own recipes.\r\n\r\nShe adored her children, grand-children and great grand-children. She spent many an afternoon and evening with them sharing all she knew about the world from gardening to common sense, but mostly the endless worlds that could be found in the many works of literature she so adored. She was a prolific reader who dedicated the north wall of her living room to a large floor to ceiling Wellington Hall library which contained works from Dostoyevsky to the latest New York Times Best Sellers and nearly everything in between. She kept her volumes and tomes in immaculate condition and on heavy rotation throughout the rooms in her home and on loan to friends and loved ones. Often recalling from memory the perfect excerpt or quote for nearly any occasion, she would share it in one of her famous letters, emails or texts!\r\n\r\nThere was truly nothing she could not accomplish. She was absolute magic. Anyone who met her and looked into her sparkling blue Irish eyes knew instantly that they had met someone truly remarkable.\r\n\r\nLois is survived by daughters Robyn Vieta and Leslye Stratton, and her beloved Staffordshire Terrier Lucy, grandchildren Jon Vieta (Kristie), Jaime Vieta Myers (Eric), Lindsay Vieta-Vest (John), and great grandchildren Jackson & Christian Myers, Jameson Vest, Anthony Vieta, Kelsie Bush & Kourtnie Bush. Also surviving Lois are her nephews Kim McCarter (Judy), Gary Gephardt (Joan) and "Favorite Niece" Lyn McCarter (Priscilla Showalter)\r\n\r\nShe was preceded in death by husband Thomas F. Hinkle, her parents, her best friend and sister-in-law, JoAnn McCarter, her brother Murray McCarter and her son-in-law, Bert Vieta.\r\n\r\nGraveside service will be held Saturday, August 24 beginning at 2PM, at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery 175 "U" Street, please enter from 4th Avenue and T Street). For full obituary please visit www.odonnellandsons.com\r\n\r\n

Lois M. Hinkle

August 14, 2019