Frank Valdemar Hinch

HINCH, Frank Valdemar (Val) September 5, 1918-May 4, 2017 Born in Toronto on September 5th, 1918, to Dagmar Printz and Frank Hinch, Val attended U of T when called to service with the RCAF in 1940. In 1941, he married Gertrude Mary Hewett (known as Babs or Barbara, mother of his 5 children, wife of 32 years, who predeceased him last year) married his second wife of 30 years, Sybil Merritt (who predeceased him in 2010), Val did not quite make it to the 100th birthday mark he professed he would, for he succumbed to pneumonia on May 4th, 2017. After achieving the officer rank of Flight Lieutenant, he continued to serve as an aviation instructor until the end of WWII. A true love of aviation stuck with him the rest of his life, piloting and flying in anything he could, right up to last year in a float plane over the Golden Gate Bridge. He loved the great outdoors and the sense of freedom, from flying his self-rebuilt Bumblebee glider (residing now in the Langley Aeronautical Museum) to sailing the Bounty off the coast of New Zealand, to driving his series of convertibles and motorcycles across North America and Europe, to bashing tennis balls in vigorous competition. When playing any game or sport it didn't matter if he won or lost ... until he lost, so he seldom did. As exhibited by his plaques, trophies and badges, he was an accomplished rifleman, frogman, wrestler, archer, oarsman and a solid student of the University of Toronto, University of Washington and Royal Roads. A physics, math and physical education teacher for his chosen career at Oak Bay Junior High, Victoria High and Esquimalt High (with one year each in Singapore and Miami) he was constantly approached and thanked on the streets of Victoria by students, appreciative of his mentoring. Forever a gentleman, he opened doors for others and insisted ladies were served first. As a proud father of Tasma Lee Hinch Lacroix, Carl Douglas Hinch, Victoria Wray Hinch, Robert Francis Brett Hinch and Daru Hinch Kawalkowski, grandfather of Glenda Wray Roach, April Lee Roach, Tasman Robert Paul Lacroix and Hilary Tatum Lucia May Hinch, great-grandfather of Atisha, he hand-built toys, boats, planes and playgrounds for all to enjoy, especially at Shawnigan Lake and Cadboro Bay. Crossword puzzles were attacked every morning over coffee and a live tennis match on television was never missed if Roger Federer were playing. Diabetic since middle age, he maintained a fit physique, all the while indulging in bread with his butter, KFC with his 2% milk and fish and chips at every opportunity. A clam chowder oeficionado, he declared the best was Campbell's with an added can of baby clams. He wished to be reincarnated as a seagull so if you notice one catching air thermals and gliding by the coast without a care, it is probably him.