Jim Hynes

Delta, 1960

James Gerald Hynes, age 88, peacefully joined his parents, wife Carole and brother John in Heaven on December 27, 2025. Jim was born and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey and never forgot his Jersey roots despite spending the majority of his life in Minnesota.

While Jim was a Senior at Thomas Jefferson High School in 1954, he enlisted in the US Naval Reserves and served his country for 6 years before being honorably discharged. After working jobs ranging from a tile setter to a door-to-door magazine salesman, Jim enrolled in Newark State College (now Kean University) in 1959 and was promptly elected President of the Freshman class. He was a varsity baseball player until suffering a career-ending leg injury in 1962. The baseball field at Kean University remains named for him to this day. Jim was later President of his Senior class and the Sigma Beta Tau fraternity before graduating in 1963. He began his post-college career at Union Carbide and transferred to Minneapolis with the company in 1964.

Jim met Carole, his wife of nearly 55 years, in 1967. As a sign of his trademark stubbornness and persistence, Carole declined dates with Jim twice after they first met, but relented on the third time he asked. Their first date consisted of Jim making homemade meatloaf sandwiches and them reading the New York Times. Jim and Carole were married August 1, 1970, built their life-long home in Minnetonka in 1971 and welcomed son Matthew James in 1975, and daughter Erin Gaynelle in 1977.

Jim was a pioneer in the plastics industry, including formal recognition as a Plastics Pioneer, the Hall of Fame for plastics professionals. He formed his own company, Churchill Plastics in 1986 focused on plastics recycling when recycling was not a common practice. That company has become a family legacy, first to Jim's nephew John Hynes III in 2003 and in 2025 to John's son Gregory. Following in his father John's footsteps, Jim owned two apartment buildings in Uptown Minneapolis for over 50 years.

Jim believed in giving back and was a generous donor and Board member at his alma mater Kean University. His legacy includes sponsoring construction of the world-class Hynes Hall, which houses Kean's College of Business and Public Management.

Jim loved staying active, whether that was playing senior softball 3-4 days a week well into his 80's or his daily walks with his beloved Irish Setters, all five named Winston. He was an avid skier, and you could find him with perfect form skiing down the hills and mountains during vacations in Vail, CO or on trips to the family's townhome in Lutsen, MN. Jim loved reading the newspaper, watching the news and especially the Lawrence Welk show every Saturday. He and Carole wintered in Scottsdale, Arizona for over a decade.

Family always came first for Jim, and their health and happiness was what mattered most to him. He led by example, passing along a very strong work ethic, a selfless attitude and a keen skill for listening that always put others at ease.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents John and Gaynelle Hynes, brother John and wife Carole. He is survived by his son Matt, his daughter Erin (Justin) and his four grandchildren Desmond, Micah, Everett, and Makayla.