Harry C. Hinze

Harry C. Hinze passed away on December 13, 2023 at his home in Madison, at the age of 93. Harry was born on July 18, 1930 to Tillie G. (Thorson) and Henry F. Hinze in Middleton, WI. He was the first son born following four older sisters, and so he was known as “Sonny Hinze” until his family moved to Madison when he was 11 years old. He was raised in the Lutheran Church, and was baptized at St Luke’s Lutheran Church in Middleton in 1930. He was a long time member of Bethel Lutheran Church and then Midvale Community Lutheran Church in Madison.

Harry graduated from Central High School in Madison in 1948. He worked his way through college and graduate school at the UW- Madison as a dance musician in the Madison area, playing saxophone and clarinet with the dance bands of Al Alvorson and Monty Hacker. He served in the National Guard and played in the Guard band from 1948 to 1958. Harry was a life-time lover of jazz music.

On February 9, 1957 Harry married Janis Evenson of Stoughton. Their marriage was marked by love and devotion for 54 years until Janis passed away in 2011. They raised three daughters, and by the time of his death Harry’s family had grown to include three sons-in-law, nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. One of Harry’s greatest joys was spending time with his whole family together.

After earning his PhD from the University of Wisconsin in 1959, Harry was honored to spend 2 years as a Post-doctoral fellow at what was then one of the top virus research laboratories in the world, at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the research laboratory of Dr. and Mrs. Werner Henle. He was then invited to return as a member of the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, where he had been a student. He enjoyed his work there with students and directing a research program. Harry felt his most satisfying accomplishment was the discovery and study of a new virus of the herpes virus group. All of his work is published in the appropriate scientific literature. Harry worked in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the UW-Madison from 1961 until retiring as an Associate Professor in 1995, at which time he was honored with an Emeritus appointment.

 The thing Harry most wants to be remembered for is the love he had for his wife and family.

Harry was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Esther, Clara, Henrietta, and Hilda Marie, and wife Janis. He is survived by daughters Lisa (Daniel) Wahl, Julie (Dean) Luick, and Laurel (David) Hofeldt; grandchildren David (Liz), Lauren, and Carl Wahl; Megan, Peter, and Daniel Luick; Michelle and Theresa Hofeldt and Nicole (Nick) Leggett; great- grandchildren Caleb and Mae Wahl and Skylar and Emery Leggett; and several nieces and nephews.

Harry’s family would like to thank the staff of Agrace Hospice for their loving care during the last weeks of his life.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, January 11, 2024 at Midvale Community Lutheran Church, 4329 Tokay Boulevard, Madison. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am, with the memorial service starting at 11:00 am and a luncheon to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made out to Midvale Community Lutheran Church.

“We want not to grieve that we have lost you, but rather to be thankful that we have had you, indeed that we have you still now, for whoever returns home to the Lord remains in the fellowship of God’s family and has only gone ahead.” -Saint Jerome (c. 330-420 AD)