of Conway, AR
January 2, 1919 - October 4, 2012
Verna Lee Hinegardner, Arkansas Poet Laureate, Emeritus, 93, died October 4, 2012, in Conway, Arkansas.
She was born January 2, 1919 at Morrisonville, Illinois to Fred and Retta Hendricks Linxwiler, the third of seven children. She graduated in 1936 from Litchfield High School and attended Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois before she married Marshall Andrew "Pete" Hinegardner. She was predeceased by her husband, one daughter, Marsha Lee Walters, three brothers, Arthur, Fredrick and Chris Linxwiler and three sisters, Iva Scott, Betty Harbin and Pat Rabalais.
When her husband was discharged from the Navy in WW II, they operated Concession Stores in Louisiana and Mississippi until they moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1953. She retired from the United States Forest Service in 1981 where she had served in Timber Sales, Fiscal and Land Management Planning.
Hinegardner, the author of 13 books of poetry, had her first poem published when she was 9. She is a charter member and past president of Roundtable Poets of Hot Springs; honorary member and past president of Poets' Roundtable of Arkansas; member and past president of The Arkansas Pioneer Branch of National League of American Pen Women; member and Secretary, Chancellor and Treasurer of National Federation of State Poetry Societies; past board member and contest chairman of Arkansas Writers Conference; member of Conway Creative Writers; member and Secretary of Faulkner County Poets; member of Christway Unity Church in Hot Springs; and a member of Arkansas Historical Society.
Hinegardner edited the Kaleidoscope Poetry Column in The Sentinel-Record for 22 years, was active in Garland County Student Contests for 29 years. All her life she entered Skill Contests and won numerous prizes including a $25,000 Family Reunion in 1985. She won many poetry contests and awards and won the Sybil Nash Abrams Award four times, was inducted in The Arkansas Writers Hall of Fame in 1991; and was appointed Poet Laureate of Arkansas in October. 1991 by Governor Bill Clinton. The MINUTE Poetry Pattern which she originated is published in text books both here and abroad.
Survivors include two daughters, Bobbie and her husband, Tim Taylor of Happy, Texas and Cindy and her husband, Dale Corhn, of Conway, AR; four grand children, Chris Edsell Walters of Conway; Jason Alexis Kilgore of Junction City, Oregon; Michael Adam Kessler of Rogers and Amy Michelle Watson of Dallas, Texas; and four great grandchildren, Lauryn and Christopher Walters and Benjamin and Anna Kilgore. She is also survived by numerous nephews and nieces. No flowers please. Donations to any of the listed organizations would be appreciated. Her body was cremated and, in accordance with her wishes, there will be no Memorial Service. Online Guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com.
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8 Condolence(s)
Michael Kessler
Saturday, October 13, 2012
I knew my grandmother well and will miss her dearly.. I spent almost every summer of my life with her with my sister and lived with her for two years in my early twenties... I not only read her poetry but went to many diffrent poetry conventions meetings and slams with her, we attended art walks and went to a few operas, I read many a poem with her, played guitar for her often as she would ask me to do, she helped me go to community college to get a degree in bussiness.. We used to cook chicken leggs in the morning so we could eat them when we watched her soaps together.. I will never forgett all the christmases my mother father sister and I spent at her house visiting family.. I brought numerous friends and many girlfriends to meet her, and to all she was nice weather she approved of them or not.. I will miss my grandmother and her love that she showed me in my lifetime, when she passed I felt as though I had lost not only a grandmother but a kindred spirit as well.. I will never forgett the things she told me and how much she taught me about getting older and how life should be lived.. She never judged me for the trouble I got into and always wrote to me while I was away.. Goodbye Grandma, I will forever miss you and think about you.. LOVE ALWAYZ, Michael ADAM Kessler
Judy K. Drennen
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Verna was a delight to know & I loved her dearly.
Judy K. Drennen
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Verna was a delight to know & I loved her dearly.
Maureen McConathy
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
So glad I got to meet her last year. She was so sweet.and my dad (Jimmy McConathy) thought so much of her
Kim Carlock
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Aunt Verna's gift of poetry remains behind for us to treasure! The Ragu Family Reunion will be a lifetime memory!! I know all are rejoicing in Heaven as the Linxweilers are together again!
Mike Rabalais
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Gona miss my Pet! Such a cool 93 year old. Miss her a lot. Mike Rabalais
pat laster
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Verna Lee will be remembered for generations by poets who knew her and knew her poetry. Maybe she'll eventually have the recognition she didn't get while she was living and working. I certainly hope so. Pat Laster, Benton
Dennis Patton
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Her life will be felt for years to come. Her impact on poetry enlarged our hearts and showed us how special her talent was. She made poetry simple and easy to understand as she painted life in the here and now. She lived her poetry and shared it with the world. We will miss her.