James Ellis Hinton

     James Ellis Hinton, the son of LaVona Peck and Willie Hinton, was born on July 25, 1933, in Bryce, Arizona. He grew up on the family’s ranch on Goodwin Wash. When he was five, the family moved to Ft. Thomas and James attended school there until his graduation from high school in l951. James was active in all sports and served as a class or student body officer every year. After graduation, he attended Eastern Arizona College, where he played baseball and was a member of the Rodeo Club, winning several roping prizes around the state.

   In l953 he married high school sweetheart, Fauna Elledge, in the LDS Temple in Mesa. James attended Arizona State University and received his Bachelor’s Degree in l955. Both he and Fauna began teaching in Solomon where James taught science, math, and shop, and coached every sport for the next thirty-three years. Although his sports’ teams came from the smallest school in the county, they consistently won games and championships against much larger schools and in state competitions.

   During the holidays and summer vacations, James would work at the Hinton ranch or was employed by local ranchers and farmers or at service stations. He also served as a ranger for the Apache Reservation and for several summers where he worked as a fire fighter.

   Fauna and James had four children: James (Jim) born in l956, William (Bill) in l958, Jill in 1960, and Julie in l966. They adopted great -grandchildren Adrianna, born in l998 and Anthony in l999. A tradition of taking grandchildren on trips when they were twelve years old was begun and they toured Egypt, Italy, the British Isles, Scotland, Hawaii, Canada, Alaska, several Caribbean islands, and a total of 35 states. James and Fauna themselves also traveled to Italy, England, Mexico, and France.

   In l976 the family moved to Ft. Thomas where James retired from teaching in l990. Eventually they moved to Luna, New Mexico where they built a home. When they sold their home there, they moved to Reserve, New Mexico.  For the final eighteen years of James’s life, they settled in Show Low, Arizona .    

   James died on October 14, 2018. He is preceded in death by his son, James Lee and grandson, Jacob Lee. He is survived by his wife, Fauna and his children Bill, Jill Flowers, and Julie Spitali (Chris). He leaves 76 descendants, which include five children, l8 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great grandchildren.

Memorial Services will be held on November 17, 2018 beginning at 11:00 A.M. at the Old High School Gymnasium in Fort Thomas, Arizona.