Rick James Hinterthuer's Obituary
Rick James Hinterthuer (1946–2025) passed away peacefully in his home on October 10th. He was a source of light and love in a world often lacking in both, and leaves in his wake a host of family and friends grateful to have known him. Rick lived with cancer for the last 10 months of his life and he lived those months just like the 78 years before — with absolute joy in the act of living and excitement for whatever was to come next.
No one on Earth had more “great” experiences than Rick. He always had a story about a great meal he’d just eaten, or a great hike he’d just taken or a great conversation he’d just had. Many were from trips abroad or cross-country road trips, but even as his ability to get out in the world diminished, Rick would share he’d had a transcendent afternoon in the back porch swing just looking at the flowers in the yard.
Rick was a true believer in the power of the “third place” — spaces outside of home or work where people socialize and build community. This passion was most evident in his Buffalo River House Concert series, where he created his own third place and brought musicians from all over the country to perform in front of an audience of 50 or so music lovers — all usually crammed into his living room. While Rick’s own talent for music was practically non-existent, he spoke its language and believed in its power to bring people together. Though he couldn’t play a lick, Rick brought music to thousands of people over his lifetime.
Rick began that lifetime in Wind Lake, Wisconsin, the first of three sons of Marjorie Blackert and Raymond Hinterthuer. The family moved to Russellville, Arkansas during his elementary school years and Rick attended college at Arkansas Tech, earning a Bachelor of Science in biology (‘69), and then a Master’s Degree in microbiology and immunology (‘72) and a Doctorate of Education (‘84) at the University of Arkansas.
Before his civilian career, Rick served as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps’ 5th Army Lab in St. Louis. He then moved on to education and public health — first in Harrison as a teacher at North Arkansas Community College (now North Arkansas College) and then as founder and executive director of the North Arkansas Partnership for Health Education. He ended his career in Fayetteville as the director of aging services at the UAMS Schmeiding Center on Aging. For a guy whose early jobs included chicken-carcass plucker at a cat-food plant and bug skimmer for the pickle vats at a canning company, Rick would be the first to tell you that he trended upward!
When he wasn’t working, Rick could be found camping, hiking, canoeing and caving in his beloved Ozark Mountains. During summers when he was teaching, he worked as a seasonal ranger for the U.S. Park Service on the Buffalo National River. It’s impossible to calculate how many miles he walked, paddled and crawled through the trails, waters and caves of this national treasure, but it is safe to say that few others can compete.
Rick was a long-suffering fan of the Arkansas Razorbacks and followed the football, basketball and baseball teams closely. As any Hog fan knows, it was rarely a rewarding pursuit, but Rick loved going to games and even witnessed the football team claim a national title earlier in his lifetime — something other generations may never see. He also had a lifelong love of learning and enjoyed taking classes at the university as a “Senior Razorback” after his retirement.
He is preceded in death by his parents and is survived by family members who will deeply miss him: His wife, Sandy Pope. His sons Adam and Aaron. His daughters-in-law, Carrie and Virginia, and four grandkids, he couldn’t be prouder of — Brynn, Maggie, Brandt and Harris. His two brothers, Mark and Jack, their wives, Gwynne and Claudia, and his niece and nephew, Julie and Scott. He is also survived by his first wife, Burnetta, mother to Adam and Aaron and a dear friend throughout his life, as well as his best friend, Bruce Barnes, and his third, “bonus” son, Erhan Ercan, and Erhan’s wife Ozgún and daughter Ela.
Rick had a large group of friends who also may as well have been family. (You know who you are, and he loved you dearly.)
One of Rick’s core beliefs was that everyone he met was an essential, dignified human soul and should be treated with kindness, compassion and love. It was how he tried to live each day and, as everyone who knew him will tell you, he did a pretty darn good job of it.
He is now resting in everlasting great peace.
A memorial service will be held in Fayetteville on November 8th. Please contact the family for more details.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Rick’s name to the OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology or the International Crane Foundation. Rick would also approve of anyone visiting a good “third space” and continuing his work of building community - Orthodox Farmhouse Brewery and West Mountain Brewing Co. were his two favorites!
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