Gerald M. ‘Big Joe’ Hintz, age 76 of Helena

Gerald “Big Joe” Matthew Hintz
June 3, 1947 – September 22, 2023

On the evening of September 22, 2023, at St. Peters Hospital in Helena, Montana surrounded by his favorite people, Big Joe’s 76-year-old spirit slipped away into the mountains of Montana following the calls of a bugling bull elk. Joe was tough and brave, putting up a long, hard fight right until the end as he tried to recover from a severe stroke that occurred on June 30^th.

On June 3, 1947, Gerald Matthew Hintz, the first-born son of Gerald and Cleona Hintz, made a grand entrance into the world in Lewiston, Idaho. At that time, who would have known all the lives he would touch and what an amazing life he was destined to live.

Everyone asked him where the nickname “Big Joe” came from. As a kid one of his uncles called him Kokomo Joe. That nickname stuck and when he grew up Kokomo Joe morphed into “Big Joe”. While the nickname was likely a tribute to his large, physical stature, perhaps it may have also been an omen predicting the legacy he would one day leave behind.

Joe spent his early childhood moving throughout Idaho as his parents sought work in logging camps. In 1965, his family moved to Helena, Montana, the place that would become his hometown. Joe attended school in Helena, graduating from Helena High School in 1967. His first job was at Allied Moving Company in Helena. He always joked that every Monday they had to move pianos that were inevitably always on the top floor. Over the years he would learn this skill would frequently come in handy when his friends needed help moving large, awkward items.

On March 6, 1968, Joe signed up for the Air Force to train for a security police position. This was the same military branch his father had joined years prior. Joe attended basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. After basic training, he returned to Helena on 20 days of leave to marry Pamela “Pam” Hintz. The two had met at Helena High and they dated throughout their high school years. Their marriage on July 5, 1968 fulfilled a promise Joe had made to his high school buddies that one day he would marry that girl.

Soon after the wedding, Joe and Pam packed up their belongings and headed for his first duty station at McCord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington. In 1969 while stationed at McCord, their son, Gerald “Little Joe” Hintz, was born. In March of 1970 Joe received his military orders to go to Phu Cat Air Force Base in Vietnam where he would be stationed for the next year. In 1971, Joe returned to the U.S. He concluded his four years of military service on March 5, 1972, at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana having reached the rank of Sergeant E4. Following his military service, Joe and Pam returned to Helena in March of 1972 to be closer to their families. They began to put down their own permanent roots there and they started to expand their little family.

In 1972, their daughter, Stephanie, was born. They only got to shower her with love for eight hours before she became an angel. Right now, Joe is surely making up for lost time by smothering his little girl with hugs and kisses. In 1974, LaDana was born. Joe was so afraid to hold her because her thought she would break because she was so tiny. He soon learned she was not as fragile as he thought; she was tough, and a fighter just like him. On February 14, 1977, the baby of the family, CoriLea, entered the world. Joe’s Valentine baby taught him there was no such thing as too much love, especially for his family.

In 1976, Joe and Pam purchased land in the Helena Valley. Working together with the occasional assistance of family, friends, and contractors, the two built a two-story home in an up-and-coming residential neighborhood. After 47 years at that location, the neighborhood is well-established. This summer Joe could still be found tending his garden and mowing the lawn; he always had to make sure that he had one of the nicest yards and gardens around. Big Joe always commented that he never wanted anyone to go away from his house hungry. He backed up that statement by planting a giant garden, thus ensuring the neighborhood and all his friends would have plenty of vegetables to eat all summer long.

After his stint in the military, Joe became a public servant, working for the federal government at the V. A. Hospital at Fort Harrison. For 28 years he served as a motor vehicle operator in the yard crew. His job duties involved helping maintain the hospital grounds and he operated the hospital’s garbage truck and incinerator. He even gave himself a fancy job title of garbologist. At the end of 1999, Joe took an early retirement from the V. A. so he could finally do the things he wanted to do including spending more time with his family.

When Joe returned from Vietnam, he was adamant that from that point on he was going to do what he wanted, when he wanted, and nobody was going to tell him what to do. He remained steadfast and stubborn, taking his beliefs seriously right until the end.

Big Joe chose to spend much of his time working hard to provide for his family. He was always willing to drop everything and help his family and friends whenever they needed a hand. To him, nobody was a stranger; everybody became his friend.

Cutting and hauling firewood and processing wild game meat seemed to be forms of meditation for Joe. When he performed those tasks, he developed a rhythm as he worked, and he would remain in his own little zone until the job was finished. Joe told his kids that on Sundays he would go to the church of the mountains or the church of the fishing hole, both were places where he felt closest to God, and he was likely most at peace.

When he took the time to have fun, Big Joe usually ended up outdoors. In the Fall, he could always be found hiking up a hillside chasing elusive deer and elk. He was most proud of a 5×5 bull elk that he shot with his bow and a 6×8 bull elk that he shot with his rifle after being lucky enough to get two coveted special bull elk tags for the Elkhorn Mountains. Big Joe was an expert fisherman. He could often be found fishing along the shore below Hauser Dam or in his boat on Holter Lake. He always said a bad day of fishing was better than any day of work. He took the time to study the local fisheries and learn the habits of the fish. There were no fish he could not learn to catch if he studied them long enough. A published article once called him the “The Perch Man of Holter Lake” because of his knowledge of that local perch fishery. It was that same knowledge and his love for fishing that led him to work seasonally for a few years at Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks performing creel checks on the lakes around Helena.

His long-time hobby of custom knifemaking began in the 1980s and he continued making knives until he had the stroke in June. The knives he crafted were both functional and works of art; some of them even earned top honors in national knife making publications. Crafting knives helped keep him busy, while also helping to stretch his creativity and kept his mind active. His knifemaking hobby also helped spur other creative endeavors. He carved juniper walking sticks, which were both practical and a necessity for him and his friends as they aged. Having always been fascinated with Native American jewelry, he created his own style of bead and antler jewelry. Another of Joe’s hobbies was going to estate sales. He would purchase items that he could tinker with and resell. If he could not fix his estate sale purchases, he would enlist the help of his friends if they had the right skills to help.

Despite all his passions, Big Joe still managed to make time for his friends. If you stopped by the house and you did not find him working in his shop or tending to the yard or garden, you would likely find him at the houses of his neighborhood friends taking a coffee break. He always managed to find time to play and spend time with his grandkids and his great granddaughter. His grandkids, especially his great granddaughter, could do no wrong in their Papa’s eyes. He loved all five of them with all his heart, and he always said he lived for them, especially in the end.

On July 5, 2023, Joe and Pam’s 55^th wedding anniversary, Joe’s final chapter began. Over the next few months, the final pages were written. It is a story overflowing with love and support as Pam helped care for him and many family and friends stopped by to visit. They provided Big Joe with tons of support, encouragement, and love, which were just the things he needed after his stroke. If any of them had known his remaining time in this world would be so short, they would have frozen time, and quickly rewrote his story. As we all know such rewrites are unfortunately not possible. As his story’s final chapter ends, we the readers smile through our tears as we celebrate his legacy. Big Joe wrote a story full of love and friendships, true marks of a life packed full of living. His legacy will always serve as a reminder that his life was well lived.

Life Well Lived
Anonymous Author

A life well lived is a precious gift
Of hope and strength and grace,
From someone who has made our world
A brighter, better place
It’s filled with moments, sweet and sad
With smiles and sometimes tears,
With friendships formed and good times shared
And laughter through the years.
A life well lived is a legacy
Of joy and pride and pleasure,
A living, lasting memory
Our grateful hearts will treasure.

Big Joe was preceded in death by: Gerald and Cleona Hintz (his parents), Phillip and Loah Pedersen (his in laws), John Hintz (his brother), Gerald “Little Joe” Hintz (his son), and Stephanie Hintz (his daughter).

Big Joe is survived by his wife Pamela (Helena, MT); his daughter LaDana Hintz & husband Corey Badgley (Boulder, MT); his daughter CoriLea & husband Tim Broadbrooks (Helena, MT) and their kids Jolea and Jordon (Helena, MT) and Keisha Taylor (Malta, MT); his granddaughter Mariah Hintz & his great granddaughter Deztani Hintz (Helena, MT); his sister Pat and her late husband Mike Ackerschott (Idaho Falls, ID); his sister Danna & her husband Mike Sinnott (Helena, MT); and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Big Joe was a special, unique soul. He touched the lives and hearts of so many people. Many would become part of his extended family and others became his life-long friends. We cannot list all of you, but please know that we do know how much you meant to Joe and what he meant to each of you. You all will forever hold a special place in our hearts as we know he holds a special place in yours.

Big Joe’s family would like to honor him and celebrate a life well lived. A viewing will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home in Helena, Montana. The funeral service is set for 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home. A reception will follow the service in the social hall of the funeral home. Following the reception, burial with military honors will take place at the Forestvale Cemetery in the Helena Valley

Service Schedule

Viewing

4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday October 3, 2023

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N Montana Ave.

Helena, Montana 59602

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Funeral Service

11:00 a.m.

Wednesday October 4, 2023

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N Montana Ave.

Helena, Montana 59602

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Reception

Following the service

Wednesday October 4, 2023

Social Hall of Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N Montana Ave.

Helena, Montana 59602

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Burial with Military Honors

After the reception

Wednesday October 4, 2023

Forestvale Cemetery

490 Forestvale Rd.

Helena, Montana 59602

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