Reg Hinely died at home on September 15, 2014, one day shy of his 86th birthday.
The son of Eva Iler and Richard Terry Hinely, Reg was born in Effingham County, Georgia, into a large, extended family of mostly market farmers. His childhood was spent working in the fields and playing with cousins, a hard but wonderful youth that gave him a lifelong love of the soil and self-identity as a Georgia boy. He enlisted in the Air Force, which took him to Fort Worth, Texas, where he met Beverley Rich. They married in 1952, began a family, and worked in partnership as Reg completed a Bachelor's degree in History from Texas Christian University, and then a Doctorate in Education from the University of Florida.
Reg joined the faculty at North Texas State University (UNT) in 1962, and spent the next 38 years as a teacher, innovator, author, administrator, and leader in the field of secondary education. Inspired by the philosopher John Dewey, Reg taught young Texas teachers the principles of learning by doing, as well as the importance of education to a healthy democracy. In this spirit, he worked with colleagues in the West Dallas Teacher Education Project, served as faculty advisor to the Student Education Association and as Chairman of the Department of Education, and passed on his wisdom and wit to thousands of students, earning a Distinguished Teaching award in 1974.
His family and dear friends knew best the matchless combination of dry wit and ceaseless creativity that was Reg Hinely: raconteur, card player, songwriter, failed entrepreneur, horse racing handicapper, Christmas tree farmer, novelist, landscaper, fairyland creator for his grandchildren, and a reminder for us all of what really matters in this world. Reg was predeceased by his beloved son Terry, and by Beverley, his wife of nearly 60 years, who he tenderly cared for over many years of illness. He will be missed mightily by his children Susan and Donal, grandchildren Kelsi, Eva, Veronica, Madeleine, Martin and Fergus, by his brother Bill, by sons and daughters-in-law Heather, Paul, Karen, and Philippe, and by many nieces, nephews, and friends. Visitation will be at DeBerry Funeral Home, 2025 West University Drive, Denton, between 5 and 7 pm on Thursday, September 18th. In memorium, contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 201 S. Locust St., Denton, TX, 76201 (http://fumc-denton.com/).