Carol Pauline Hinrichs was born on June 9, 1933, in Frederick, Colorado, to Fred Edward and Minnie Katherine (Stofft) Werth. She passed away on May 13, 2019, in Seward, at the age of 85 years, 11 months and 4 days.

Carol was baptized on July 2, 1933 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brighton, Colorado, and confirmed on March 30, 1947 at Emmaus Lutheran Church in Denver. Carol grew up in Denver where she attended and graduated from Denver North High School in the Class of 1951. She then attended Concordia Teachers College in Seward for two years. Carol taught school in Kearney for a year. On June 6, 1954, she was united in marriage to Vance H. Hinrichs at Emmaus Lutheran Church in Denver. The marriage was blessed with five children: Susan, Michael, Karen, David and Paul. After their marriage, the couple lived in Fargo, North Dakota and Greeley, Colorado before they moved back to Seward and raised their children. Carol was very active in all the churches they attended. In 1978, Carol received her bachelor's degree and taught school for two years in Milford, Nebraska. She then began working at Link Library until 1983 when the couple moved to Phoenix, Arizona. While in Phoenix, she worked at the Phoenix Public Library and later became a real estate agent. They returned to Lincoln in 1994 and to Seward in 2016. Carol was all about family. She enjoyed sewing and making her children clothes as well as preparing and making new meals for family and guests. She loved traveling around the country and showing her family points of interest on the way. Carol was a woman of faith, that faith was very important to her and her family. She was an avid collector of nativity sets and shared that love of Jesus by giving sets to her grandchildren when they were confirmed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Minnie; husband, Vance; daughter-in-law, Debra Hinrichs.

Carol is survived by her five children: Susan and Ron Krueger, Bloomington, IL, Michael Hinrichs, Blair, NE, Karen and Steve Hoger, Seward, NE, David Hinrichs, Seward, NE, Paul and Suzanne Hinrichs, Auburn, NE. Additional survivors: 13 grandchildren:  Andrew Krueger, Jonathan Krueger, Timothy Hinrichs, Nathan (Leigh) Hinrichs, Ben Hinrichs, Mark (Emily) Hoger, Amy (Aaron) Podschun, Ryan Hinrichs, Ashley (John) Siebert, Mitchell Hinrichs, Sarah (Benjamin) Wheeler, Thomas Hinrichs, Rachel Hinrichs; step granddaughter, Angie (Nick) Albrecht; eight great-grandchildren: Ayden Siebert, Braylon Siebert, Theo Hinrichs, Lily Hinrichs, Sophie Hoger, Emma Wheeler, Clara Podschun, Ellora Albrecht; two sisters, Ruth (Frank) Spiva, Fort Collins, CO, Judy (Gerald) Roggow, Enid, OK; two sisters-in-law, Iona (Dave) Bathke, Thornton, CO, Vaneta Hinrichs, Wheat Ridge, CO; nieces and nephews and a host of friends. To this obituary we add our thoughts, prayers and memories of life shared with Carol.