Donald "Skip" I. Hinkel

Donald Irving "Skip" Hinkel, age 92, of Comins, MI, passed away Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at his residence.

Donald was born in Dearborn, Michigan on December 5, 1925, a son of the late Violet (Aulwes) and Irving Hinkel. He served his country in the US Army during WWII, on April 7, 1945 he lost his leg when he was wounded by tank shrapnel and was captured by the Nazis as a teenager fighting on the battlegrounds in Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and was a Purple Heart recipient. Don Married Violet (Gill) of Canada in 1953 in Dearborn. The couple settled in Dearborn, where they raised their family. Donald was the owner and operator of Greenfield Die Manufacturing, beginning in Detroit and ending in Canton, when he sold his business and retired in 1996. Violet passed away in 1988 and remarried Mary Cote-Hinkel in 1990. She preceded him in death in 2000.

At the age of 86, Skip broke the Guinness World Record as the oldest solo helicopter pilot. His flying often took him to his home in Comins and included frequent stops at the Gaylord and Oscoda County Airports.

Surviving are his children: Donna Gibson (Don Reed) of Brighton, MI, Diane Fuller (Bill) of Clarkston, MI, Don Hinkel of Lead, SD and Dave Hinkel (Lynn Wilcox) of Naples, FL; nephew Mark Hinkel of Bonita Springs, FL; 9 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren and 1 expected great grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wives Violet and Mary Cote-Hinkel and his brothers Louis and Bobby Hinkel.

Visitation Tuesday, May 29, 2018 4-8 PM at the Lashley Funeral Home, Mio, MI

Funeral Services at The Lashley Funeral Home at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, May 30, 2018. Interment at Fairview Cemetery Fairview, MI.

Memorials may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8517 or www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Arrangements by Lashley Funeral Home, 318 Pearl St. Mio, MI 48647