Obituary: Joseph M. Hinchey, Engineer, Lawyer

(From Sherman Jackson Furneral Home.)

Joseph M. Hinchey , age 87 , of Wrentham, formerly of Mansfield, Westwood, MA, and Stonington C..T, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013 at the Pond Home in Wrentham

Born in Emhurst, N.Y., Joe was educated by the New York City public school system. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force at age 17.

At the conclusion of WWII, Joe was selected for the V12 Officer Training Program and attended Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. It was during this period that he met his future wife, Barbara A. Bright. He graduated in 1947 with a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering.

During the Korean War, Joe was called up to active duty from the Reserves and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Following his discharge in 1953, he worked as a Test Engineer and Supervisor at Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation.

In 1964, Joe joined Texas Instruments where he was responsible for Marketing and Operational Management for the Electrical Controls portion of that company and management of the International Division of that group. He rose to the position of Senior Vice President.

Mr. Hinchey took a leave of absence from Texas Instruments to attend Boston College Law School. He was awarded a Juris Doctor Degree Cum Laude in 1980 and was subsequently admitted to the bar of Massachusetts, the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the Supreme Court of the United States. He joined Analog Devices, Inc. in August of 1980 as the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration where he remained until his retirement in 1994.

Mr. Hinchey was a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Union College, Schenectady, N.Y., and an Honor Roll Trustee of Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation of America, Inc. He also served as a Trustee of the New England Funds and Director of Chemet, Inc. Mr. Hinchey was actively involved in other professional activities including membership in the Financial Executives Institute (FEI) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), Director of Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) and served in a variety of community roles including United Way, YMCA and Chairman of the School Building Committee in Mansfield.

Mr. Hinchey was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, the late Barbara (Bright) Hinchey and his sister, Anne H. Desnoyers of Old Lyme, C.T. He is survived by his five children: Deborah H. Vernon of Fort Worth Texas; Michael J. Hinchey and his wife Diane C. Hinchey of Mansfield; Martha A. Hinchey and her partner Cynthia L. Peck of Groton, C.T.; Susan H. Schmicker and her husband, James A. Schmicker of Severna Park M.D.; Jill H. Shiel and her husband, J. Fergus Shiel of Dedham. He leaves 10 grandchildren: Rebecca and Andrew Vernon; Joseph “Jay” and Ryan Hinchey; Katherine and Emily Schmicker: and Virginia, Brendan, Aine, and Patrick Shiel. He also leaves a brother, John F. Hinchey of Scottsdale, AZ and several nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours, to which relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend, will be held on Wednesday, February 13th from 6 – 8 pm at the Sherman & Jackson Funeral Home, 55 N. Main St Mansfield, MA.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Groton Congregational Church, 162 Monument Street in Groton, C.T. followed by a reception to celebrate Joe’s life.

In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests donations in Joe’s memory be made to Pond Home, 289 East St., Wrentham, MA 02093; Scholarship America, Hinchey Scholarship Fund, Development Department, 1550 American Blvd. E., Suite 155, Minneapolis, MN 55425; or the Joseph M. and Barbara B. Hinchey Scholarship, College Relations, Union College, 807 Union St., Schenectady, N.Y. 12308

To send the Hinchey family a message of Condolence, please visit www.shermanjackson.com