John S. Hines

A Kid At Heart

John S. Hines, 82, of Weston died March 17, one day before his birthday, at Wilton Meadows Health Care Center. Born in Astoria, N.Y., he was the son of John and Mary Hines.

Mr Hines is survived by his wife of 58 years, Frances, of Weston; his daughters, Janice D. Brown and her husband, Bruce Goulart, of Newtown and Patricia A. Hines of Fairfield; his son, John S. Hines, Jr, of Norwalk; his brother, Charles Hines of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; his granddaughter, Sara Surmolian and her husband, Matt, of Southbury; his grandson, Eric J. Brown of Queens, N.Y.; two great-grandchildren, Michael and Kevin Surmolian; and several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. A third great-grandchild is expected in September. He was predeceased by his brother, Howard, and his sister, Dorothy.

In 1940, Mr Hines’s family moved to Norwalk. He graduated from Norwalk High School in 1942. Following graduation, he was drafted into the US Army. He was a private first class, serving with an antiaircraft artillery battalion. He participated in the Normandy invasion, landing on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. During his service in the European Theater of Operations, his battalion saw action in England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Luxembourg, and Czechoslovakia. For his service in World War II, he was awarded the Good Conduct and Victory medals and the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon With Bronze Service Arrowhead.

After he was honorably discharged from military service in 1945, he enrolled in the University School in Bridgeport, where he met his future wife, Frances A. Rose. They were married in 1948. They lived in Norwalk until 1978, when they moved to Weston. He worked for the family-owned and operated New England Lock and Hardware Co. of South Norwalk, the makers of Segal Locks and the Hines Key System. He retired as president in 1993.

He loved to travel, was an active golfer, was a league bowler for many years, and enjoyed doing crossword puzzles. He was a proud man who loved to be with his family. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, his kindness, and for being a kid at heart.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, March 24, at 11 am, at St Francis of Assisi Church, 35 Norfield Road, Weston. A reception in the church hall will immediately follow the service. There will be no calling hours.

Memorial donations may be made to the Weston Emergency Medical Services, 52 Norfield Road, Weston CT 06883, or via www.westonems.com.

 The Shaughnessey-Banks Funeral Home, 50 Reef Road, Fairfield, is handling arrangements.

The Newtown Bee        March 23, 2007