Lynda H. (Hinman) ETCHEN

HINMAN, ETCHEN, LANDON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:57

Lynda H. Hinman Etchen
1 August 1943 --- 11 November 2021

Lynda H. Etchen, 78, of Belmond, Iowa, died Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, at the Iowa Specialty Hospital, Belmond. Public funeral services will be held at 10:30 am, Monday, November 15, 2021, at the Belmond United Church of Christ Congregational. Burial will be in the Belmond Cemetery. Public visitation will be Sunday from 5-7 PM at the Andrews Funeral Home, 516 1st Street S.E., Belmond and will continue one-hour prior to the funeral service at 9:30 am Monday at church. Memorial suggestions included the Belmond-Klemme Scholarship Foundations 1 & 2, Belmond Talbot Public Library Youth Programs, Belmond UCC Congregation Church or the donor's choice.

Lynda H. Hinman, the daughter of Earl and Helen (Landon) Hinman, was born August 1, 1943, at Belmond, Iowa. She was raised on a farm near Belmond which had been in the family since 1873. In her school years Lynda was active in in 4-H and continued her involvements in the organization as an adult service as a 4-H Leader for a time. She had also participated in The Girl's Recreation Association. Early on Lynda attended rural country schools and later Belmond Community Schools graduating from Belmond High School. She furthered her education and career pursuits as a beautician at the Thompson School of Beauty Culture in Des Moines, Iowa. After beauty school she was employed at salons in Clarion and Clear Lake, Iowa.

Lynda was united in marriage to Delbert Etchen at the United Church of Christ, Belmond, Iowa, where she had also been baptized and confirmed. Following the couple's marriage, they moved to Glendale, Arizona, where Delbert was employed with Goodyear Aerospace and their daughter Cynthia was born. They later moved to Sunnyvale, California, as Delbert's career took them as he worked for Lockheed Corporation. Their son Vincent then joined the family. Eventually, they returned to the Belmond area living on the farm with Lynda's parents for a period of time before moving to Roseville, Minnesota, where Delbert took a position with Control Data. After a time living in Minnesota the family moved to New Richmond, Wisconsin, where they farmed for 23 years. During these years, Lynda was a full-time homemaker, mother, and partner with Delbert in the farming operations. Additionally, Lynda kept up her cosmetology license and provided her services ta many people out of her home salon and often times would travel to do haircuts, permanents, and other styling in the homes of many of her church family over the years. She enjoyed her church family at Deer Park-United Methodist Church and has remained in contact with them over the years.

During the years that her children were in college Lynda was employed as a Supervisor at Hardee's Restaurants in Baldwin and New Richmond, Wisconsin. Following Delbert's retirement from the farm he and Lynda moved back to Earl and Helen's farm. The couple later divorced and Lynda moved into her home in Belmond where she has lived since.

After moving to town Lynda was employed for a time at the local Duckwall's Store. She also was well known for her beautiful quilting, seamstress work and of course her many other one of a kind, meticulously hand-crafted creations. Anyone who knew Lynda, knew that she poured her heart and soul into each and everything she made and that she always had multiple projects going on all at the same time, including many at the time of her passing. Her children recall her making many of their clothes during their childhood years. Countless area residents were also fortunate enough to have her tailor and do various sewing and seamstress jobs for them as well. Interestingly enough, Lynda loved to have the latest technologies of her sewing trade. Lynda was known by many as the button lady, as she had countless collections of buttons and often made button wear that she gave as gifts to many.

Besides her sewing and quilting work, Lynda found time and energies to maintain beautiful flower and vegetable gardens, interior decorating of her homes, participating in food and baking competitions at various fairs and of course sharing her wonderful culinary and baking skills with others along the way. She was known for her delicious homemade breads and had shared these delights with her church families making the bread for communion at her church homes and her family recalls her making 400 loaves of bread for one particular event. Lynda had a strong faith and was active in the Belmond UCC Church, the Women's Fellowship and served on various committees. She was the last living "Gold Star Sister in the area.

Anyone who knew her will recall the inseparable bond she had with her mother Helen. Over the years she was back in Belmond if you saw one of them, the other was nearby. They cherished one another immensely and often would wear matching outfits.

Lynda had a passion for young people and was always concerned for their well-being. She loved her grandchildren and enjoyed precious times spent with them. A visit from "Grandma Button" as the often referred to her was definitely one of their favorite occasions. She had done some traveling and had visited a traveling Viet Nam Memorial. This was important to her as she had lost her brother Dwight due to injuries that he had from his time serving in Viet Nam.

She will be remembered for her uncanny, meticulous mannerisms, her unique wit, love for conversation, devotion to her mother, her beautiful smile, sparkling emotion filled eyes, and passion for creating and sharing her one-of-a-kind gifts with others. She had a true zest for life and battle through each obstacle that may have crossed in her path including her victory in the battle against breast cancer.

Her memory will live on in her surviving family including her daughter Cynthia Etchen, Clarion, Iowa; son Vincent (Thida) Etchen and their sons Anthony and Vinchenzo of Ellsworth, Wisconsin; and her other extended family members and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Dwight Hinman. Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond, Iowa.

https://www.andrewsfuneralhomeandfloral.com/obituary/lynda-etchen