Russel Clyde Hinckley III
1945 – 2021
Russell Clyde Hinckley III, 76, of Edmond, OK, passed away on December 18, 2021. He was born March 20, 1945, to Russell Clyde Hinckley Jr. and Iva Mae Gose Hinckley in Watonga, OK. He graduated from Watonga High School and went on to Oklahoma State Tech in Okmulgee, OK before being drafted into the US Navy. He served as a member of the SeaBees and was stationed in Antarctica. Upon his return, he met Phyllis Clark and after only 6 weeks of dating they were married and eventually welcomed their only son, Jon Russell.
Russell was a lifelong entrepreneur operating a variety of businesses with his wife including an oilfield construction company, a flower shop, a convenience store, self-serve car washes and numerous house renovation projects. He also obtained his real estate license to expand on his interest in real estate.
Russell was a thinker, an analyzer, a numbers guy and never approached anything without a calculator and his trusty iPad. With any project or hobby, he strived to be the best he could be and he wouldn’t do it if he couldn’t achieve perfection. As a young man he took up bowling and obtained a 190 average. He took great pride in his skills as an oilfield backhoe operator and always looked for ways to be the best. His car washes were always under his watchful eye and he made it his mission that each customer left with total satisfaction. He had a love of cars including a variety of Porsches and Corvettes and he loved to wash and wax them until the paint nearly came off. After retirement, he started bicycling on a regular basis and cycled across the state 4 times alongside his son and grandson. He studied and followed the stock market on a daily basis and could rattle off dividends for his holdings. He loved to work with stone and brick, building assorted projects with Phyllis and always tending to his lawn.
Although his hobbies and work were important, his greatest pride were his son and grandkids. He would tell anyone who would listen about them. He never missed an event to support them and got involved with school projects to make sure they had the best one. He was fiercely protective of them and if he thought someone needed a talking to, he would ask for their name, phone number and address to set them straight. He always offered his advice and would tell it to them whether they were listening or not. His wisdom and legacy will live on in their hearts and will follow them through their life.
Preceded in death by his parents, Russell is survived by his wife of 53 years, Phyllis, son Jon and wife Barbara, and grandchildren Jenna Snow and husband Blake, Jake and Jadyn.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Life Church at 2001 NW 178th St., Edmond, OK 73012.
Russell’s Celebration of Life will be Monday, December 27, 2021 at 1:00 p.m., at Life Church located at 2001 NW 178th St., Edmond, OK 73012.
The family has asked that masks be worn during the service to protect the vulnerable.