John A. Hinson

1947 - 2021

HINSON, John A., passed away September 18, 2021. Born in Whiteville, North Carolina on December 31, 1947, John Hinson led a truly remarkable life and rose to the heights of the American business world. The son of L.A. and Maxine, Hinson grew up with his parents and his seven siblings in a small home in the rural community of Whiteville near Wilmington, North Carolina. During his high school years, Hinson was a member of the football team and exhibited the extraordinary intelligence, focus and determination that would become his hallmark traits later in life. Following his graduation in 1966, Hinson went on to study at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Hinson joined the Marine Corps and subsequently attended the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School.

Following his training in Rhode Island, Hinson was deployed to Vietnam, where he managed logistics and loaded ordinance onto combat aircraft. While he was reticent to discuss his tour in Vietnam, Hinson readily credited his time in the military for helping him develop the discipline and sense of mission that would serve him so well later in life.

Returning from Vietnam in the mid-1970s, Hinson began searching for a career path and became interested in the business of real estate. Sensing that the city of Atlanta was poised to grow dramatically, Hinson moved there to search for opportunities in the market. In Atlanta, Hinson began to work with Jim Baker, who became one of his closest friends and business partners. Hinson and Baker were young real estate brokers who shared a single desk in a small office in Atlanta. Learning the real estate business from this modest foundation, Hinson went on to create a vastly successful business in Atlanta. Through the many years since, Hinson and Baker remained close friends and business partners and spoke to each other nearly every day.

Following a motorcycle accident that Hinson readily admits he was lucky to survive, Hinson retired in his 30s, purchased a sailboat and sailed the Caribbean for nearly two years. Growing restless, Hinson decided to re-enter the real estate business and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Once more, sensing that South Florida was poised for major growth, Hinson began investing in properties and projects in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Having again created a very successful business and amassed a considerable portfolio of properties, Hinson moved to Miami Beach and was a pioneer in the Miami South Beach area.

It was in Miami that Hinson created and developed one of his most successful real estate projects, The Ocean Club on Key Biscayne, Florida. While finishing the Ocean Club project, Hinson met and married his wife of 19 years, Jeanine Sagebien Hinson. His closest friends, Jim Baker and Harold Wright, happily declared at Jeanine and John's wedding that, "He got it right." John wholeheartedly agreed.

After finishing the Ocean Club project, Hinson split his time between his home in Key Biscayne, Florida and Evelynton in Charles City, Virginia, which he acquired with Jeanine in 2008.

While he never boasted and rarely spoke of his past successes in business, Hinson would tell the most extraordinary stories about his experiences if one just asked. Hinson had a voracious appetite for learning and read several books on many topics every week. He was a thoughtful, generous and respected man with many friends throughout the United States and the world. Entirely self-built, Hinson loved his country, recognizing that the United States was perhaps the only country that afforded him the opportunity to achieve such great success through his hard work, fierce determination and grit.

John Hinson passed away in a single car accident on Saturday afternoon, September 18, 2021 not far from his beloved Evelynton. He is survived by his wife, Jeanine; and six of his seven siblings, in-laws and 19 nieces and nephews. His family and friends will gather to mourn his passing and to celebrate his remarkable life at Evelynton in Charles City, Virginia on Sunday, September 26, 2021, at 3 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can made to the following charities near to John's heart: Charles City County Animal Shelter, c/o Charles City Sheriff's Office, 10780 Courthouse Road, P.O. Box 87, Charles City, Va. 23030 or to Missionary Kitchen, c/o Walter Paige, 5321 West Run Road, Charles City, Va. 23030. Tributes may be posted at www.vincentfh.com.