Our sweet mother, grandmother, great and great, great grandmother, Elizabeth Nafts Hinkle, peacefully slipped into her angel wings on April 1, 2022. Elizabeth was born to Henry and Katie Wolf Nafts on March 5, 1922 in Toledo, Ohio. When she was 2 months old her parents and 5 siblings moved to the Huntley Project. Elizabeth went to the Osborne School north of the Experiment Station and then to Worden High School.
She met George Hinkle Jr. in the spring of 1940 at the dance hall and they married in the fall of 1940. They lived on various farms south of Shepherd until 1952 when they purchased the land East of Shepherd that the family still farms today. Together they farmed, raised cattle and 6 rambunctious children. George and Elizabeth also raised two of their granddaughters. In 2000 they sold the farm to their sons, Kenneth & James Sr. and grandson James Jr. George passed away in 2002 and Elizbeth remained in the family home until the time of her death. She was the epitome of a farm and ranch woman raising a garden, canning fruits and vegetables, milking cows, raising & butchering chickens and caring for cattle. Just the month before her death we had the privilege of celebrating Elizabeth’s 100th birthday! For many years she told us she would live to be 100 and we cheered her on to that amazing milestone. What a blessing it was to love and be loved by her. Elizabeth was proceeded in death by her parents, all of her siblings, her husband, George, oldest son, Kenneth, son in law, Jerry Amestoy, grandson, Kevin and great grandson, Rodney. She is survived by her sons James (Linda), Victor (Marilyn), Allan(Diana) and daughters Marian & Shirley. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and 20 great, great grandchildren. Memorials can be sent to Shepherd Volunteer Fire Department @ P.O. Box 1 Shepherd, MT 59079. Services will be at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Shepherd on Thursday, April 7, 2022 @ 10:30 a.m. Graveside services will be at Shepherd Cemetery following the service with a luncheon in the church basement directly after that.
