David Nelson Hintze passed away June 26, 2021 at his home in Springville, Utah after a lengthy battle with dementia during which his wife Rayola tirelessly cared for him. He was surrounded by his loving family when he passed away.
He was born March 16, 1946 in Brigham City, Utah, the second of four children born to Lehi Ferdinand Hintze and Ione Nelson Hintze. He graduated from Provo High School in 1964, having lettered in three sports and participated in debate and drama. He then graduated with his Bachelor of Science in 1970 and a Master of Science in Zoology in 1975, both from Brigham Young University. He married Kathleen Jones in 1967. They were the parents of two children: Jason Jones Hintze and Kristin Hintze. David and Kathleen were later divorced. He married Rayola Griffiths Lathim in 1991.
David worked thirty years for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR), primarily in law enforcement. His career started in Parowan, Utah as a game warden and he later retired in 2005 as Central Regional Supervisor based in Springville, Utah. He continued to work for another ten years in security at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. Working for the DWR suited David perfectly because he was passionate about being outdoors. His family often served as temporary lodging to injured or orphaned wildlife. In his spare time he enjoyed birding, fishing, turkey hunting, and had a fine collection of turkey beards to show for it. He and his wife were expert gardeners and have a beautiful yard.
He restored a prize winning 1929 Model A pickup which he was very proud of. David was also an enthusiastic fan of BYU football and the Chicago Cubs. He was an active member of the Springville Rotary Club. He developed many long term friendships with a wide range of people including colleagues from the DWR, Rotary, and his wonderful neighbors. He was a very hard worker who could fix anything and enjoyed serving those around him.
David is survived by his wife Rayola, his son Jason Hintze (LaDawn), his daughter Kristin Hintze, his step-daughter Winna Lathim Hesser, eleven grandchildren, five great grandchildren, his sister Sharon Hintze, his brother Paul Hintze (Patti), two legally adopted desert tortoises and his cat Sassy.
A special thank you goes out to his nurse Kelly who took such good care of him over the past three years.
Private graveside services will be at Eastlawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo, Utah. Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life on Saturday, July 17th, 2021 at 5:00 pm located at 1324 East 950 South, Springville, Utah 84663.
To leave a condolence and share memories of David, visit www.legacyfunerals.com