Patricia Hinton

Patricia Sue Sterr (Patti) Hinton passed away at home in Fort Thomas on Thursday, the 17th of October, after an illness of several months duration. She was 52 years old. Patti Hinton was born August 31, 1961, in Safford, the first of five children of Jim and Reva (Sparks) Sterr, both deceased. Patti grew up in Willcox, Winslow, and Miami where she ran track in high school graduating in 1979. She then attended Eastern Arizona College, graduating in 1981, and Western New Mexico University where she completed her bachelors in education in 1983. She was recently notified that shed completed coursework for her MA in Education from ASU, the degree to be conferred magna cum laude this coming December. Patti and Wil Hinton were married on June 1st, 1985, in Fort Thomas where the family still lives. She and Wil have two daughters, Lacie Rain Sacchetti (Dominic) of Tucson, and Tori Jade Hinton of Silver City, NM. Patti taught in the Gila Valley for 29 years, 2 years at Dan Hinton School in Pima, and 27 years at the Fort Thomas elementary and high schools. At the elementary school, she taught in a combined 1st-3rd grade classroom, art, P.E., and special education. While at the high school, she was the librarian, a class sponsor, the advisor for the year book and school paper, as well as teaching drivers ed. In her tenure at Fort Thomas, she influenced and in turn was loved by an entire generation of students. Patti was recognized frequently for her contributions to education and non-educational activities. In her last year as a teacher, for example, she was recognized by both the Fort Thomas schools and the Rotary Club as Teacher of the Year. She was similarly recognized that same year as a Key Member of the Safford Methodist Church Patti had a variety of interests beyond education including travel in this country and abroad, camping, photography, found art, and running obstacle courses. In addition, she was very active at the First United Methodist Church in Safford where for many years, she chaired the Education Committee, taught Sunday School, and was a member of the congregations executive board, the Advisory Council. She was also active in the Special Olympics for many years. Patti was preceded in death by: Her father, Jim Sterr; her mother, Reva Sparks Sterr, her grandparents Milly and Jerry Sterr, and Willis Dan and Ethyl Sparks, her father-in-law Billie Kay Hinton; and her brother, Jerry Sterr. She is survived by: Her husband of 28 years, Wil; Sandy Sterrher fathers second wife who Patti thought of as her second mother; her mother-in-law, Jo Marie Hancock (Jerry) of Safford; her sister Jan Vidimos (Jim) of Florence; her brothers J.T. Sterr (Julie) of Morenci, Ron Sterr (Jennifer) of Litchfield Park, James Pennington of Globe, and Michael Pennington of Tucson; and her daughters Lacie Hinton Sacchetti (Dominic) of Tucson, and Tori Hinton of Silver City. Viewing will be Saturday, October 26, from 9-10:30am with funeral services to begin at 11am. Interment will follow at Bryce Cemetery and then a luncheon at the First United Methodist Churchs Fellowship Hall in Safford. The family requests that contributions be made to the American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers. Testimony abounds on both the kind of woman Patti was and her impact on the Gila Valley. More specifically, and since her passing, numerous people have described to members of Pattis family how she touched their lives. All expressed true sorrow at her passing, genuine concern for the well-being of Pattis immediate family, and often anecdotes describing both how Patti had impacted their lives and, in doing so, how shed demonstrated what it means to truly care about other people.