Eugene Hinnenkamp

Eugene Anthony "Gene" Hinnenkamp, USAF SMSGT (RET), entered into his heavenly rest on February 11, 2011, peacefully at home while surrounded by family and loved ones in Asheville, North Carolina, at the age of 88 after a prolonged illness resulting from a stroke in late 2009.

A military funeral and memorial service will be held Saturday, February 26 at 1 p.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose, MN, including a full twenty-one-gun salute to show our love and honor for this American hero.

Visiting will take place one hour before the service on Saturday.

Gene was born February 4, 1923, in Melrose, MN, to Mary (Zirbes) Hinnenkamp and Alex Hinnenkamp. He was the 2nd son with 3 brothers and 1 sister. Proceeded in death by his father in 1928, mother in 1983, and brothers, Albert in 2008 and Donald in 2009. Gene attended St. Boniface Grammar School and Melrose High School. In 1939, at the age of 16, Gene trained and served in the Minnesota National Guard, Sauk Centre Unit and at Camp Ripley, Little Falls, MN. Called to active duty in 1940 he attended the US Army Signal Corps School in Missouri. Gene was then transferred to the Philippines. After Pearl Harbor, he was transferred back to No. California to serve with the Coast Artillery, and at Camp Haan, where he set up all of the communication lines both there, and in the Mojave Desert in So. California. Later, he served in North Africa Libya, Sicily, Solarino Italy, and France. At the end of WWII, he was assigned to assist in the set- up of the United Nations Headquarters in Chateaux France in 1947. He returned to the US on leave and then re-enlisted in the USAF at Ft. Snelling, St. Paul, MN. He was transferred to Germany where he served at Communications Headquarters for the duration of the "Berlin Airlift." Upon return to the U.S., he was assigned to Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City. Gene went on to serve in Korea, Okinawa and Guam, returning again to the U.S. at KI Sawyer AF Base, Michigan. When assigned to temporary duty in Libya No. Africa in support of the UN peace keeping force, he was wounded from shrapnel when flying out of Belgium Congo. Gene spent months in recovery in Michigan but eventually recovered and returned to active duty transferring to Scott AF Base in Illinois. After 26 years serving his country he retired on Dec. 31, 1965, with honors as a Senior Master Sergeant receiving many awards as a communications expert in his field.

He was a charter member of the Melrose American Legion and VFW. In 1968, he moved to northern California where he worked and lived with his sister, Erma, and her husband, Jim Schriver, and their family. Gene so enjoyed his many nieces and nephews and they loved him dearly. Gene moved to Northwest Florida in 1970 where he enjoyed the remainder of his retirement years on the Gulf Coast in Mary Esther.

He is survived by his son, Klaus R. "Rocky" Hinnenkamp and his wife, Peggy; grandson, Michael and his wife, Angela; granddaughter, Kristy Edwards and her husband, Kenny; along with two great-granddaughters, Megan and Abby Edwards all of Asheville, NC. Additionally, his former spouse, Ingrid Reid, previously of Destin, FL, now residing in Asheville.Gene is also survived by his life partner of 48 years, Augusta "Auggie" Messina of Fairfax, VA. Their family includes daughter, Catherine Messina Gervasi and her husband, Nelson Ottenhausen of Gulf Breeze, FL; son, Christopher Messina of Atlanta, GA; son, Michael Messina of Woodbridge, CA; and daughter, Nancy Messina Crawford and her husband, Thomas Crawford of Fairfax, VA. Grandchildren include Melissa Messina of Mary Esther, FL, Angelina "Peaches" Gervasi of St. Augustine, FL, Alicia "Katy" Gervasi of Fort Walton Beach, FL, Kelly Messina of Atlanta, GA and Arden Marina and Davis Eugene Spurlin of Fairfax, VA.Surviving siblings include his sister, Erma Hinnenkamp Schriver and her husband, James "Red" Schriver; along with eight loving nieces and nephews and their families including numerous great nieces and great nephews all residing on the West Coast and in the Santa Clara, CA, area. Gene's youngest brother, Arthur "Art" Hinnenkamp and his wife, Donna of Clear Lake, MN, and Harlingen, TX, and six nieces and nephews and their families reside in California, Florida and Minnesota.