Mary Ellen Ottinger-Hinton

Mary Ellen Ottinger-Hinton

October 8, 1931- April 14, 2023

Obituary:

Mary E Hinton, age 91 of Malverne, NY passed away on April 14, 2023. Mary was born on October 8th, 1931 in New York NY to her late parents John and Mary Ottinger and grew up in Bay Ridge Brooklyn with her predeceased and dear brother John. There she excelled and graduated from St Brendan's High School. It was in Bay Ridge that Mary met the love of her life and soul mate Henry Joseph Hinton. 

Mary became a Gold Star widow of the New York City Fire Department in 1974 when her husband died in the line of duty. Mary offered grief counselling and consultation with many other Widows and Widowers, especially after their ranks grew after 9/11. Mary was a widow at the age of 42 with little driving experience and no full time-job. Soon after Mary graduated with a BS and was a Licensed Registered Nurse while still caring for her family and ensuring all of her children were well cared for. Mary became an (somewhat) experienced driver and loaded up the Oldsmobile with 7 children, our family dog, Buttons, and herself to go to our Lake house in Columbia County where the family spent the summer. As cars passed and drivers honked mom and all children would give a friendly wave back although I think they were honking for another reason. Mom and family have been 54 year members of the Twin Lakes improvement Association where mom made friends with everyone she met and was known to be a great swimmer, swimming out to the middle of the lake almost daily which was about 1/2 mile across.

Mary is survived by 6 of her 7 children. Her son Lt. Henry Jude Hinton predeceased her in 2021. Mary's 7 children and their spouses are:

Cecilia Hinton, Henry Hinton-deceased (spouse Goldie Hinton),  Arleen Gartland (spouse George Gartland), Wendy Smith (spouse Walter Smith), Gerard Hinton (spouse Valerie Hinton),

Laurence Hinton (spouse Thitima Hinton), and John Hinton.

Mary is also a beloved Grandmother to 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Mary 's greatest passion was to help anyone in need. As a nurse she specialized in geriatric medicine and later served as a school nurse for 15 years in the Rockville Centre School District before retiring. She was very involved in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Saint Christopher's and St Silvia's and a friend to many priests, laymen, parishioners, Catholic nun orders such as the Carmelites and Little Sisters of the Poor. Mom was an extraordinary (eucharistic) minister and provided communion and bedside prayers to those who were sick or infirmed in their homes.

Our Mom lived a wonderful life, not so for her difficult struggles and challenges that she overcame, but for the joy, selflessness, and devotion to helping others and helping to ease their burden. What a wonderful example and role model she has been for her family and those she touched and befriended.

May God greet her into his loving, almighty hands. 

Eternal rest grant unto Mary Ellen, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace for eternity. Amen.