Steven Todd Hinrichs

Steven Todd Hinrichs

HOUSTON, TX -- The memorial service for Steven Todd Hinrichs will be held at Temple - Halloran Funeral Home on June 2 at 3:00 pm. Please come dressed comfortably as this is what Steve would prefer.

The family will receive guests after the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to the building fund of Emmaus Church (www.emmauschurchsc.com/give), a community that Steve loved and has been so supportive of his family.

Steve was born on March 23, 1970, in Winfield, Illinois and passed away on May 8, 2023, in Houston, Texas. He was the son of Jim and Donna Hinrichs and grew up in Seminole, Florida before moving to Columbia in 1983. He fondly remembered childhood camping trips with all of his brothers and his sister, and the myriad of animals he had as a child. Steve grew up in Riverland Baptist Church and loved telling stories of behaving or misbehaving on youth trips.

He graduated from Irmo High School in 1988. For 34 years, Steve was a small business owner, running Carolina Kleaners with his father and brother Chris.

He enjoyed heavy metal music, fishing, birds, the Food Network, Country Boy Cooking with Marshall, and Formula One racing. Steve was always on the side of the underdog and was, thus, a frustrated but loyal fan of Gamecocks football.

Even when he struggled physically, Steve would muster the strength to bring the fun, the party, to any situation. Case in point: this past year when South Carolina played Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl and lost. Steve (and others) blamed it on the transfer portal and the NFL Draft, and yet he still enjoyed the day, grilling, drinking a Bloody Mary, and chatting with his best friend Keith Reid.

Steve was known for his casual vibe and style. Indeed, he wore his hat to the dinner table so often that his mother-in-law stopped asking him to take it off. Legend. He had a grand collection of hats and visors on par with Emelda Marcos's assemblage of shoes, and yet he mostly wore only one or two of them.

Steve was also an expert chef. On the grill there were few who could match his skills. He learned from his successes and his mistakes, like the time he turned the heat too high on the turkey fryer. Lord have mercy.

But what Steve was best known for was the love he had for his family, so much so that he spent all of his time over the last few years of his life on a couch at the center of the family room. He could have easily escaped to his bedroom, but he wanted to be around the action, around his beloved dog Ruby, his frenemy cat Cindy Lou, his daughters, his son, and his wife. Jacob enjoyed grilling and cooking with his dad; Clayton loved getting Krispy Kreme donuts with her dad; and Mallie enjoyed being funny with her dad. And Ellen loved Steve for the 17 years she was with him and will always wish for one more chance to sit ont that couch with him and watch Law and Order.

Steve's family and friends gave him the strength and love he needed when his body faltered. He will be missed, but he will live on through them.

Steve is survived by his wife Ellen Shuler Hinrichs; son Jacob Hinrichs (Mom, Molly Faile); daughters Clayton Ruth and Mallie Anne; mother Donna LaJeunesse Hinrichs and father James Allen Hinrichs; brother Jeff (Kim),sister Dawn (Mark), brother Dave (Dawn), brother Chris (Lauren), brother Robbie (Karen), and brother Craig. He loved his 17 nieces and nephews, three great nephews, one great niece, and his many aunts and uncles and cousins.