Miriam Kay Hinrichs 1936 - 2026

Miriam Kay Hinrichs, of McMinnville, Oregon, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on June 30, 2026, in her home at the age of 90.

Miriam “Kay” Hinrichs was born March 26, 1936, to Kohler and Belle Betts, in Walla Walla, Washington. She grew up on a small farm northeast of Pendleton, Oregon

.Kay attended high school in Athena, Oregon, graduating in 1954. She attended Linfield College for one year to pursue a degree in Home Economics, where she met her husband of 67 years, Clarence Hinrichs. Rather than complete her degree program, she chose to put her home economic knowledge, experience and passion to practical use by becoming a full-time homemaker.

The family lived in Ames, Iowa, Moscow, Idaho, and Pullman, Washington, while Clancy pursued his Doctorate in Physics. While in Moscow, Kay opened a yarn store called the “Needle Nook,” where she taught knitting classes. Kay continued to share her gift of knitting, sewing and baking with others. In 1966, the family moved back to McMinnville. Kay taught home economic classes through Chemeketa Community College. After retirement, Kay and Clancy moved to Redmond Oregon, where she lived until the fall of 2022. After her husband’s death, Kay returned to McMinnville to be closer to family and friends. Kay lived at Vineyard Heights ALF until her death.

Kay expressed the love of Jesus in the way she loved and served others. She loved spending time with her family and was a hostess par excellence, opening her home to many, expressing love through serving amazing meals, baking, and assisted the Bagel Barn in recipe development. She was actively involved in hospitality and church pantry ministry, and ministered with her husband to inmates transitioning from prison to the community. In recent months, Kay shared her hospitality ministry to Vineyard Heights residents, baking sweet breads and cookies for those new to the facility and friends. Kay was an avid gardener, winning awards at her homes in both McMinnville and Redmond.

Miriam Kay Hinrichs was preceded in death by her husband, Clancy Hinrichs; her parents, Kohler and Belle Betts; and a grandson, Benjamin Michael Hinrichs.

She is survived by her brother, Charles Betts; children, Mark and Moira Hinrichs of McMinnville, Craig and Susan Hinrichs of Terrebonne, Oregon, Lisa and Guillermo Rojas of Harrisburg, Oregon, and Helen Givens of Morgan Hill, California; grandchildren, Sarah Garber, Jesse Hinrichs, Elise Stenberg, Rafer King, Paty Rojas, Gil Rojas Jr., Joshua Rojas, Alicia Yoder, Anthony Givens, and Madison Givens; 24 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.

Donations honoring Kay’s memory can be made to: Brian and Elise Stenberg at Teach Beyond Ministries, https://teachbeyond.org/

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Calvary Chapel, 1825 N.W. Second St., McMinnville OR. To leave condolences, visit www.macyandson.com.