12 January 1929 - 20 January 2021
Ellen was born during a blizzard in a country house and raised on a farm in Menahga, Minnesota. She spoke Finnish at home until she was school age and was always proud of her Finnish heritage. In 1947 she married Donald R. Hinkley from Park Rapids, Minnesota and they lived in several Minnesota cities and then in Omaha, Nebraska. They raised two children, Kay and Brian, and the family returned often to their roots in northern Minnesota. Ellen was a housewife as well as a secretary with various employers in Omaha. She was an avid reader and duplicate bridge player, especially enjoying the time when Bill Gates and Warren Buffet played in Omaha at her bridge club.
Ellen is survived by daughter Kay Ellen Keefe (Tom), son Dr. Brian Hinkley (Gail), grandchildren Mathew Hinkley (Liz) and Melissa Myers (Quinn), great-grandchildren Rylee Hinkley, Bo and Mack Myers, sister Carol Fossey (Bruce), nephews Dale Ruokangas, Derek Fossey and Dustin Fossey and niece Lacia Simons.
Ellen was preceded in death by her husband Donald Hinkley, her mother and father Frank (Ed) and Jenny Suvanto, and her sister Hazel Ruokangas.
Celebration of Life for Ellen will be held at a later date.
Memorials to Food Bank of Lincoln Inc, 4840 Doris Hair Cir A, Lincoln, NE 68504. (https://www.lincolnfoodbank.org) or Tabitha Foundation, 4720 Randolph Street, Lincoln, NE 68510 (https://www.tabitha.org/give/why-give.html).
