Marie Hinson is a beloved part of DeFuniak Springs history

By Wendy O. Dixon

Talented singer, organist, tour guide and church greeter Marie Hinson is a well-known face in DeFuniak Springs, where she has spent most of her life.

Born in New Home, Fla., which is now a part of Eglin Air Force Base, Marie’s family is among those who were forced to leave their homes during the expansion of the base in 1944. “They gave them just 30 days,” Marie recalls. It was a sad, sad situation. A friend of my dad remembers him crying while they bulldozed it as he begged them to let him move the house. People were scattered everywhere.”

Her family moved to DeFuniak Springs, and Marie grew up on Millard Gainey Road, named after her father, a contractor and brick mason.

Always filled with school spirit, Marie loved school and never missed a day.  She attended Walton High School where she was a cheerleader and homecoming queen. She has since supported the cheerleaders who followed her, and was the second person to be inducted into the Cheerleader Hall of Fame. A soprano in the glee club, she was rated Superior in a State Music Festival for her solo performance.

Marie’s sister introduced her to a man who would become the love of her life, her husband, Charles Hinson. A perfect fit for her, Charles was the music instructor at Walton High School, and led a singing trio that Marie became a part of.

With the addition of their son, Chuck, the young family moved many times as Charles continued his education or found better professional positions. While in Baton Rouge, La., Marie worked for the U.S. Geological Survey as a stenographer. She was also in the Woman’s Club and president of the local Garden Club.

While living in Monticello, Fla., Marie became the first woman to be elected to the city council. The Florida State Baptist Association asked her to serve on its pilot program for senior adults in the state of Florida. And she was a newscaster at the local radio station.

As part of her service for Christ, Marie served as a missionary in Haiti. “We would go each summer to teach children, have seminaries in churches,” she remembers. “We had a wonderful time.”

After graduating from Mississippi State University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, she taught children for 40 years. Once she retired from teaching, she became a full-time volunteer.

In 1999, the family returned to DeFuniak Springs. She and Charles are members of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, where Marie has served as a greeter, teacher and organist. Though she has lost her singing voice, Marie still enthralls church worshipers with her organ playing. “My voice got raspy because of COVID,” she says. “It’s really tough on me because I’ve always been a singer, but I keep trying. I love being a people greeter at church. They could take the organ away but not the greeter job.”

Marie has volunteered for hospice to comfort patients in nursing homes. She was a board member for the Walton County Heritage Association and has been its president for many years. She has been vice president of the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood Foundation and is the chairman for the Christmas Festival of Trees, an event that raises funds for the maintenance of the Chautauqua building. As part of Chautauqua, she and Charles formed the Chautauqua Singers.

In 2000, Marie was a key in forming Grit and Grace, a local theater company which brings the history and folklore of Walton County to the stage. “We collect stories and then we put it on stage on the third weekend in July every year,” she says. “We have several actors, including children. It’s a great way to tell the stories of our history.” She and Charles were featured in the 2024 Coming Full Circle production.

In 2008, Marie founded the Florida Panhandle Women’s Retreat, which is an annual interdenominational gathering of women. It is comprised of speakers and musical groups, with 225 women in attendance at this year’s retreat.

Marie conceived the idea of LakeFest in 2013. She and her son, Chuck, worked with Mayor Campbell to bring the festival to fruition in 2014. This event has continued each May, bringing people to the lake-yard for food, music, classic cars, a parade and more. She has been the grand marshal for both the LakeFest and Mardi Gras parades.

Marie served as a tour guide and city ambassador for the City of DeFuniak Springs, leading tours for newcomers from nearby Fort Rucker and Eglin Air Force Base.

On Friday, May 2, Marie was the 15th woman to be honored in the Women of Light program, sponsored by the DeFuniak Springs Woman’s Club. Women of Light honors women past and present who have made significant contributions to their community or who came from this area and made contributions elsewhere. A granite marker with the honoree’s name and description of her services is placed at the base of one of the lamp posts encircling the Lake Yard.

As Marie accepts the Women of Light Award, she reflects on her life’s work. “Oh my goodness, it’s quite an honor,” she says. “I never dreamed of this. I’ve always been active, always loved meeting people, and this is the ultimate goal.”

Congratulations Marie Hinson! You are a gem in our community!