OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Jerald R. Hinrichs passed away peacefully early Monday morning, June 1, 2020, at the age of 86 in Overland Park, Kan. A memorial Mass for Jerry will be held 11 a.m. Aug. 1, 2020, at St. John Vianney Church in Fairmont, with visitation at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Fairmont.

Jerry was born June 2, 1933, in Fairmont, Minn., to Harry and Evelyn (Jaqua) Hinrichs. Jerry attended Fairmont High School, participating on the football and basketball teams and graduating in 1951.

On Sept. 5, 1953, Jerry married Betty Jo Ann Harris at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Fairmont. They would spend the rest of their lives together. Jerry and Betty would raise three children together, Jay, Jill and Jana, as they crisscrossed mid-America, Connecticut and Costa Rica.

Jerry left Fairmont to study business education at Mankato State Teachers College (Minnesota State University, Mankato). He completed his studies in 1955 and soon began teaching at Glencoe (MN) High School. He was a member of the coaching staff for football and gymnastics teams.

Jerry enlisted in the U.S. Army in fall of 1956 and was stationed in Yuma, Ariz. After his honorable discharge as a Specialist 4, he became a proud member of the Minnesota National Guard.

Jerry began his nearly 40-year career in the insurance industry on May 1, 1959, when he was named a special representative of the New York Life Insurance Company back in Glencoe. Jerry’s career took him and Betty to 9 different offices and 11 positions on their journey with the New York Life Insurance Company. They quickly would find success at every level, consistently finishing in the top 10 for NYLIC agencies and making friends in every community.

Over the years, the titles changed from Agency Assistant (Edina, Minn.), Assistant General Manager (Des Moines), Management Assistant (Minneapolis), General Manager (Kansas City), Regional Superintendent, again General Manager (Wichita), Superintendent of Agencies (back to Kansas City), Regional Vice President and Vice President (New York City). He became a member of the senior leadership team as he rose to the rank of senior vice president of marketing, working out of the home office. Jerry thrived in the agency environment; it was not only his career, he considered his business partners and associates as some of his best friends. One associate commented that “He was empathetic with the field members and willing to go the extra mile for the representative. If you were in the home office in New York City, you wanted to pay a visit to Jerry.” Jerry took great pride in hiring education majors right out of college and mentoring them through their career in the industry. Many went on and had fantastic careers and some started their own agencies, successfully specializing in insurance and financial planning.

After a very rewarding and successful career of nearly 30 years with the New York Life, Jerry retired in 1988 but later joined Mutual of New York as a Regional Vice President, and later started his own insurance and marketing consulting firm of Hinrichs & Associates. Jerry served on the Board of Directors of the Life Underwriters Training Council (LUTC) and CUNA Mutual Group headquartered in Madison, Wis.   

Jerry was awarded the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) in 1970. Widely considered the most respected insurance designation in the industry.

Jerry was preceded in death by his loving wife of 59 years, Betty, in 2013.

He is survived by his son, Jay (Julie) Hinrichs of Overland Park, Kan., daughters, Jill Rogers of Silver Spring, Md., and Jana (John) Rogers of Leawood, Kan.; grandchildren, Jared Hinrichs, Jordan and Kristen Rogers and Megan Rogers.

Jerry loved his children and grandchildren dearly and was always interested in their activities, their careers and adventures, along with providing just a little bit of advice.

After his appointment as a board member at CUNA expired, this time retirement stuck, and Jerry and Betty designed and constructed their forever homes in Overland Park, Kan., and Playa Potrero, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

He never forgot his roots in Fairmont, his humble upbringing or his days in a Cardinal uniform.

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