Elda (Luke) Hinkins

On June 25, 2022 at 12:12 a.m. Elda Luke Hinkins passed peacefully to the other side, and Heaven gained a seasoned and well-experienced angel. Elda’s life was one of service, miracles and family. Often there was no distinction between the interaction of those three hallmarks.

Born on October 19, 1933 to Elden and Delphia Luke, Elda was the second child and lone daughter amidst three sons. As a young girl Elda was miraculously saved through a priesthood blessing after being hit by a car. Elda loved working with her daddy on trips and in the family store. She also enjoyed helping her mom around the house and as she catered to General Authorities who would come to town for conferences and would stay with their family.

She was an excellent baton twirler and dancer in her younger years, and enjoyed being active. Elda married her high school sweetheart, Parley Delile Hinkins on February 21, 1950. Elda and Delile lived a true love story. They experienced the highest highs and lowest lows that life offers through the heartache and joy of marriage and family life – and they did it all together for more than 70 years before Delile passed away almost two years ago. Elda was a very devoted wife.

Elda loved fiercely. She and Delile welcomed their first daughter, Paulette to their home about a year and a half after they were married. Over the next six years, they added three sons – David, Ross and Todd. While Elda was pregnant with Todd, Delile was severely burned in a mine fire. She delivered Todd a few months after the fire and she faithfully stayed by Delile’s side, caring for him for about a year while he underwent many skin grafts and healed from his burns. At one point, when the gravity of his burns and injuries set in, Delile had determined to drive her away so she would not have to stay with someone who looked, as he described himself—as a monster. After listening to his railings, Elda came and took his hand, and told him “Delile, honey, I don’t care how you look – we are sealed together in the temple and we are going to be together forever.” This was true love, and was not going to be deterred by disfigurement or pain. A few years after Delile’s burns, he and Elda were able to add two more daughters, Nanette and McKette, to their family. During the early years of their marriage, Elda devoted much of her time to caring for her children as her husband was away working multiple shifts. Four months after welcoming their first grandchild, Christy, into their family, tragedy would strike this young couple again when their oldest daughter, Paulette, and her husband Kaye Hansen were killed in a car accident. Elda and Delile brought Christy into their home and raised her as one of their own children.

Elda was always a devoted disciple of Christ, following in the Savior’s way by serving those around her. She especially loved being in the temple with her family. Elda has consistently ministered to those in need, and was a great listener. No matter how busy she may have been, she always had time, and was never in a rush. She had a special way of making each person feel important. Many would believe that they were her best friend. Elda loved serving at the cannery, as a den mother and in the organizational presidencies of the Primary, Relief Society, Stake Relief Society and Young Women. Elda continued her legacy of missionary service by serving as a full-time missionary in the Richmond, Virginia Mission with Delile. Although she served in many callings, her unofficial calling was as Sunday School meal provider where she provided homemade bread and honey-butter to her kids, grandkids and many of their friends in between classes. Her house was always filled with love and good food, and everyone who entered got plenty of both.

Elda loved traditions and holidays. These traditions and holidays gave her an opportunity to show her love through her wonderful ability to give gifts. Her children and grandchildren were the recipients during virtually every holiday of gifts like peanut brittle, cinnamon applesauce, homemade bread, pillowcases, brightly colored pickled eggs, homemade root beer, candied popcorn or presents. Decembers were magical, as Elda celebrated Christmas like many only dream possible. She would hide gifts each day with the names of each grandchild on a sack, and then as the grandkids would arrive a scavenger hunt would ensue each day of December to retrieve the daily gift. When grandchildren were on missions or away at school, she would send a package with the gifts marked and pre-wrapped to be opened for each of the 25-Days of Christmas.

Although Elda and Delile traveled the world and she enjoyed seeing new places and new people, she found great joy in the simple things in life. She loved sitting in her living room or on her back patio visiting with family and friends and watching her grandchildren play. Elda’s love and service extended to so many in the community where she was the consummate grandmother figure. She attended ball games, plays, recitals and meets of all sorts to support her children, grandchildren and “adopted grandchildren”. Despite having traversed many of the rocky trails of life, she always seemed to find joy in the journey and kept a positive outlook on life. Her legacy of love and service will live on through her six children, twenty-seven grandchildren, seventy great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.

Even as Elda’s memory faded, her love never did. She would greet every familiar face with her loving embrace and a warm “I love you, honey.” She would still take your face in her hands to make sure her kiss did not miss the mark, and landed right on your lips. Right up to the end she was a ray of sunshine to all who saw her.

She is survived by her children David Parley (Lane) Hinkins, Ross Delile (Jeannine) Hinkins, Todd Scott (Nadene) Hinkins, Nanette (Mark) Tanner, McKette (David) Allred, Christy Kaye (Matthew) Hironymous; sisters-in-law Linda (Raymond) Hansen, Ilene Luke and Charlane Luke; and brother and sister-in-law Mack & Eunice Luke. 

She was preceded in death by her husband Parley Delile Hinkins; daughter Paulette and son-in-law Kay Hansen; parents Elden & Delphia Luke; in-laws Parley & Erma Hinkins, Paula Allred, Helen (Clive) Peterson and Roger Hinkins; siblings Earl Luke and Kean Luke; and great granddaughter OakLee Paulette Engman.

We will celebrate Elda’s life on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at 12:00 noon, at the Orangeville meetinghouse. Live-streaming will be available on Heritage Funeral Home Facebook page. Family will receive friends and family at her viewing Tuesday, July 5, 2022 from 7:00-9:00 p.m., at the Orangeville meetinghouse and before the funeral Wednesday, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Interment will be in the Orangeville City Cemetery. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and share memories of Elda at www.heritagefuneralhomeutah.com.

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