Mr. Tom Hinz

Thomas "Tom" Hinz, 82, of Green Bay, passed away on Saturday, May 3rd at his home after a brief battle with ALS. He was born on June 19th, 1942, in Merrill, Wisconsin, son of the late Gerhard and Verna (Staus) Hinz.
Tom graduated from Merrill High School in 1960, after which he served in the U. S. Army from 1960-1963, spending one and a half years in Vietnam and Thailand. After his time in the service, he moved to Green Bay and among other things, worked as an usher at Green Bay Packers games. It was here that he befriended a Green Bay police officer who convinced him to pursue a career in law enforcement.
He started at the Green Bay Police Department in 1966 as a patrol officer, moving through the ranks to become Deputy Chief of Detectives, and eventually Assistant Police Chief. In 1997, after 31 years, he retired from the police department, and shortly after was elected Brown County Sheriff. He served as sheriff for 6 years, retiring in 2003. After this retirement, he took on the role of Director of Security and Safety at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, while also teaching as an adjunct instructor there. After retiring from these in 2007, he was elected to the position of Brown County Executive, where he lead the county from 2007-2011. It was only after this fourth retirement did Tom begin to understand what the word "retire" meant. (By the way, do you know why it is called Brown County? Tom would ask you. And if you are reading this and don't know the answer, look it up. It would make him smile.)
Throughout his life, Tom gave back to the community. He was a Board Member of Golden House for 23 years, was on the Advisory Board of the United Hmong Center of Brown County, and was an Emeritus Board Member of the NEW Community Shelter. He also served on the boards of the NWTC Foundation, the Bay Area Community Council and the Green Bay Chamber of Commerce. He founded the Crime Prevention Foundation of Brown County, and also organized and served as the Mentor Coordinator of the Northeast Wisconsin Veterans Treatment Court. Through this organization he served and helped local veterans until his last day.
When Tom wasn't working or volunteering, he enjoyed playing golf, competing with his wife in cribbage, taking care of his yard, and having cookouts with family and friends. He was passionate about staying fit, and until ALS took hold of his body, you would find him at the YMCA or adding mileage to his running notebook. He started running in the 1970's, running in a multitude of races, including the first ever Bellin run in 1977 and the Boston Marathon 1984.
His early days of working at Packers games birthed in him a lifelong appreciation for the team, and "Packer Fan" only begins to describe Tom. Not only was he a season ticket holder, but he also had the privilege of working on the Packers' security team for a number of years. He was with the team during both the 1997 and 1998 Superbowl appearances. In 2011, Tom was asked to join the Packers Board of Directors and most recently served as a Director Emeritus.
He is survived by his wife Ursula Bertrand-Hinz, his daughters Coleen Hinz and Heidi Hinz, his stepchildren Greg (Susan) Bertrand, Monique (Eric) Hendrick, Michelle (Dale) Konshak, Nicole (David) Perret, grandchildren Nikita (Nick) Minesal, Aaron Smet, Sophia Perret, great grandchildren Maverick and Grant Minesal, and sister Mary Gates. He was preceded in death by his parents Gerhard and Verna Hinz.
Visitation will be held on Saturday May 10, 2025 from 9:00 A.M. to 12:15 P.M. at Spring Lake Church, 2240 Klondike Rd, Bellevue, WI. A Funeral Service will follow at 12:30 P.M. with Rev. Chad Baudhuin officiating. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to one of the organizations listed above, for which Tom was so passionate. Or consider donating your time to a cause that matters to you.
It is impossible to convey the impact of one person and their work within just a few paragraphs. If there was a group or organization left out of this writing, we sincerely apologize. Please know that you were important to Tom.
Isaiah 40:1-2a (NIV) Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed.
Rest well, Tom. Your hard work is done.