Patricia Ann Hinrichs

Patricia Ann (Sim) Hinrichs died on November 26, 2024, in Naperville, IL with family by her side. She was born in Chicago, IL on September 9, 1935. Patricia was the older sister to Andrew Sim Jr. and were the children of Andrew Sim and Rose Helen (Whitbeck) Sim.

Her family moved out of Chicago and relocated to Pine St in Arlington Heights, IL. Pat graduated from Arlington Heights High School in 1953. She continued her education at Carleton College in Northfield, MN graduating with a degree in sociology in 1957. She worked for Cook County social services after college. After raising her family, Pat worked at Alpha Park Library as a circulation clerk. She loved her job as it allowed her access to new book releases that she would order for her children and grandchildren helping them develop their love of books.

Pat married Eimo Eldon Hinrichs on June 29, 1958. They met at Elgin State Hospital but they were both doing internships. Together they first made their home in St Donatus, IA, the location of Eimo’s first Lutheran parish. Here, their first two children, Peter and Rebecca were born.

After Eimo accepted a position at Peoria State Hospital as a Psychiatric Chaplin the family moved to Bartonville, IL in 1962—six weeks after Rebecca was born and in the middle of a snow storm on St Patrick's Day! Their son David was born in 1967 and their daughter Susan joined them in 1970. They lived in the same house on Burns Ave for 59 years!

Pat was a woman of many interest and talents. She played violin like her father and participated in a Civic Orchestra in her youth. She sang in choirs her entire life and as an adult played in the bell choir at Bethel Lutheran Church in Bartonville, IL. Her love of music carries on through her children and especially in her grandchildren as many double majored in music and are professional musicians. She was also an accomplished artist and crafter. The family have some her paintings on their walls, ceramics she created on display in their homes, and many decorations, toys, and clothes that were sewn by her hands. She was notorious for buying one craft piece at a show and then going home and creating more for herself. Pat was also a gardener and loved to create artistry in her gardens by grouping flowers and bushes into beautiful outdoor displays in the yard and containers. She also spent many hours in the summer canning tomatoes and other produce that Eimo grew in their extensive garden. She was known to scout out wild produce such as elderberry bushes in the spring and then go back in the fall to harvest the berries for jam. As an accomplished and creative cook, she introduced her family to cuisine from around the world. Pat was an environmentalist on the cusp of the movement. She and Eimo recycled and composted before it was an ordinary occurrence. She loved to be outdoors in nature and would often collect wildflowers and fallen leaves to incorporate into her craft projects. Pat was also an avid reader. As a night owl she would stay up to 2 am to finish a book that she had started earlier in the day. The Outlander was her favorite series and she tended to favor romance novels over all others.

Pat was an active member of the community serving as Boy Scout Den Leader and Girl Scout Troop Leader. She was a frequent team member for Cursillo Retreats. Church activities included participation in Miriam Circle and Stephen Ministries, leading Sunday school classes and Vacation Bible Schools and coordinating many service projects such as the annual Giving Tree benefitting LSSI. During the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s, Pat and Eimo participated in multicultural community groups and with their children marched for equity for all. Their dedication to others led their children to adopt similar paths of service. After the death of their youngest daughter, Susan, Pat and Eimo created and led a group for survivors of suicide that continues today.

She is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Andrew Sim, Jr, and her daughter Susan.

She is survived by her children, Peter (Amy) Hinrichs, Rebecca (John) Glimco, David (Susan Protzner) Hinrichs. Grandchildren Jacob (Emily) Glimco, Myra (Nathan Friedman) Hinrichs, Chris (Alyssa Harder) Glimco, Caitlin (Ben Pfeifer) Glimco, Dominic Glimco, Andrew Hinrichs, Isabelle (Danny Tomazin) Glimco, Emily (Joey Huyen Tran) Protzner, John Protzner. Great-grandchildren, Oliver, Grayson, Rosalind, and Leo.

Patricia's visitation will be from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Friday, November 29, 2024 at the Davison-Fulton Bartonville Chapel. An additional visitation will be from 10:00 am to 10:45 am on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at Bethel Lutheran Church in Bartonville. Funeral service will take place at 11:00 am also on Saturday at her church. Rev. Kara L. Wiechmann will officiate. Burial will take place in St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Bartonville.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lutheran Social Services at https://www.lssi.org/giving/

Online condolences may be shared with Patricia's family at www.Davison-Fulton-BartonvilleChapel.com