Elaine Hiniker

Elaine Leona Hiniker was born on December 29, 1945 to Wayne and Leona (Bartels) Priester in Pipestone, Minnesota. Elaine was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church.  Growing up in Pipestone she worked at Juba's and played the flute in the band at Pipestone High School.  After graduating high school in 1963, Elaine earned a two-year accounting degree at Mankato Commercial College.  She entered the workforce with her degree in hand at Mankato American State Bank as a bank teller and bookkeeper.  On November 12, 1966, Elaine married the love of her life, Gene Hiniker at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pipestone, Minnesota.  This union was blessed with five children.  Elaine then advanced to a bookkeeper position with SuperValu in Mankato where she was responsible for thirteen stores. Elaine, Gene and the boys moved to their present day home farm in 1984. With the boys grown and in school Elaine started a new job as a bank teller for First Farmers and Merchants Bank in 1992; she retired from this position after 21 years.  While raising a family with Gene in Pipestone, Elaine volunteered at St. Paul Lutheran Church as a Sunday School teacher as well as being the bookkeeper for the family farm.  Elaine could always be seen smiling, and never complained and she so loved her boys and all her grandkids.  She was an excellent cook and baker and was so caring of others.  Those who knew Elaine can still hear her say "If you make a mess, you clean it up!"

On February 22, 2024, Elaine passed away surrounded by family at the Pipestone County Hospice House in Pipestone, Minnesota.  She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, special sister, and role model to many. 

Elaine is lovingly remembered by her husband of 57 years, Gene Hiniker of Pipestone; children, Scott Hiniker of Lake Benton, Minnesota, Mark (Carrie) Hiniker of Pipestone, Minnesota, Brad Hiniker of Pipestone, Minnesota, Jeff Hiniker of Holland, Minnesota, and Mike Hiniker of Pipestone, Minnesota; grandchildren, Chelsey Hillard (Brad), Brooklyn Hiniker, Aiden Hiniker, Brody Hiniker, Lawson Hiniker, and Walker Hiniker; great-grandchildren, Reese Hillard and Laramie Hillard; siblings, Carol (Dick) Pantekoek of Pipestone, Minnesota, Robert (Sandy) Priester of Arvada, Colorado, Laurie (Bill) Blomgren of St. Peter, Minnesota.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Wayne and Leona Priester; father and mother-in-law, William and Eva Hiniker; brother, Donald Priester; infant brother, Allen Priester; and sister-in-law Barb (and John) Mueller.