Loving mother, talented dancer

Pauline C. Hinton, a longtime Claremont resident, died on April 30, 2015. She was 96.

Polly, as friends called her, was born on May 20, 1918 in Sacramento to Vincent and Elena Salerno. The daughter of Italian immigrants, she was the only girl in a family of five children. 

She met Alvin Hinton in Los Angeles during World War II. They were married soon after and enjoyed many happy years together. The Hintons moved to Claremont, where they raised their family of three boys. Mrs. Hinton was a doting homemaker and later worked a series of jobs, including a tenure keeping medical records at Casa Colina. She was also a volunteer at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church.

After Mr. Hinton’s death in 1984, Polly married Bill Greding. He died in 1993. Despite being widowed twice, Mrs. Hinton was known for finding the joy in life. She loved to dance, heading twice-weekly for many years to various ballroom dancing venues. Other favorite pastimes included bowling and bridge. Polly’s sons Steve and John are both pilots, and so she took delight in going to air shows at Chino’s Planes of Fame Air Museum.

“She was incredibly social and family-oriented,” family shared. “She loved to have people over for birthdays and Christmas. She was the glue that held the family together.”

Mrs. Hinton was predeceased by her first and second husbands, Al Hinton and Bill Greding, and by her son Bill. She is survived by her sons Steve and John.

Graveside services will be held at Riverside National Cemetery, Site 5 on Friday, May 15 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Polly’s name to the Planes of Fame Air Museum.