Gerry E. Hinton

Gerry Earl Hinton (June 30, 1930 – July 2, 2000)^[1] was a pioneer in the chiropractic profession from Slidell, Louisiana, who served from 1984 to 1996 as a member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 11 in suburban New Orleans, including St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes.

Background

Hinton was a native of Columbia in Marion County in southwestern Mississippi.^[2] He graduated from Slidell High School and served in the United States Army in the Korean War. He received his bachelor's degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish. He received his chiropractor credentials from Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena near Houston, Texas.^[3]

Long involved in community affairs, Hinton was a member of the Jaycees, the American Legion, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks lodge. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Slidell.^[2] Prior to his state Senate service, Hinton served for sixteen years on the Slidell City Council.^[4] Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler also began his political career on the city council. So did current District 90 State Representative Greg Cromer of Slidell.

Senatorial service

Hinton was elected to the Senate in 1983 as a Democrat, having defeated Roy K. Burns, also a Democrat, 15,161 (53.4 percent) to 13,224 (46.6 percent).^[5] The District 11 seat had previously been held by Democrat W. E. "Bill" Dykes of St. Helena Parish, who did not seek reelection after he was moved into the neighboring District 12 held by veteran Senate powerhouse Sixty Rayburn of Bogalusa.

Hinton subsequently switched parties and won as a Republican in the nonpartisan blanket primaries of 1987 and 1991. He did not seek a fourth term in the Senate in the 1995 primary and was succeeded by Tom Schedler.^[6]

Prior to his Senate tenure, Hinton had worked for passage of the state's chiropractic licensing act.^[4] Louisiana was the last of the states to pass a chiropractic licensing act.^[4] Hinton was at the ceremony in 1974, when then Governor Edwin Washington Edwards signed the legislation. Hinton served for nine years as a member of the Louisiana Board of Chiropractic Examiners and in 1984, the year his Senate tenure began, was designated "Chiropractor of the Year" by his peers.^[4]

Senator Hinton was a member of the Labor/Industrial Relations Committee. As the chairman of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, he worked to include chiropractic services in the Medicaid program and in health maintenance organizations.^[4]

On October 24, 1987, in his first election as a Republican, Senator Hinton polled 26,178 votes (61.9 percent). Three opponents, another Republican, a Democrat, and a "No Party" candidate, shared the remaining 38.1 percent of the ballots.^[7] In the primary held on October 19, 1991, Hinton defeated two Democratic challengers, having received 19,938 votes (55.8 percent).^[8]

Death and legacy

Hinton continued his medical practice until he was sidelined by lung cancer. He died at his home in Slidell two days after his seventieth birthday. He was survived by his wife, the former Alice Jayne Glaser (born February 13, 1934), a son, Glynn Earl Hinton (born ca. 1960),^[9] and a daughter, Jill Hinton Lashouto.^[4] Interment was at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Slidell.^[2]

At the time of Dr. Hinton's death, flags were flown at half-staff in Slidell. Then Slidell Mayor Sam Caruso said that Hinton "did more for this city and area than most people know. As a senator, he was responsible for millions in state dollars spent on Slidell projects."^[4]

In 2008, A. G. Crowe, who holds Hinton's former Senate seat, praised both Hinton and the late State Representative Edward C. Scogin, also of Slidell, for their "foresight" in making sure that the infrastructure in St. Tammany Parish kept up with the population, which could reach nearly 300,000 in the 2010 census. Crowe noted in a statement at dedication ceremonies that he considers both Hinton and Scogin as the prime sponsors of the Fremeaux interchange on Interstate 10.^[10]

References