PRISCILLA MAE HINTON (COLOMBEL) was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 11, 1928. Priscilla was the fifth of eight children born to James B. Hinton and Edith May (Hardiman) Hinton.
Priscilla and her family lived throughout the exciting post war 1920s in the small community of Indianapolis. The Hintons were a Christian family and attended Church in Indianapolis at “Christ Temple”. Early in life around the age of twelve Priscilla accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized.
Priscilla and her siblings grew up during the “Depression” times and faced many challenges. In 1939, Priscilla was 11 years old when her mother passed away suddenly at the age of 38. The passing of her mother affected Priscilla deeply and in some ways shaped who she became in life.
Priscilla began her education in Indianapolis attending grade school at “School 42” and two years at “Chrispus Attucks High School” before leaving the Midwest to stay with her older sister Vera in Los Angeles, California.
After living on the west coast for two years, Priscilla returned to the Midwest and stayed with her Aunt Maude Moore in Chicago, Illinois. It was during this time of her life that while attending the “Church of God In Christ” that she met her future husband Philip M. Colombel. After a courtship that included two states, it was at a ceremony held in Morgan Park, Chicago where Priscilla and Philip were married on December 20, 1947.
Priscilla and her new husband went about the business of starting their new life and on September 1, 1948 their first son Philip Jr. was born. Their second son Stephen was born two years later on June 18, 1950, followed by the birth of their third son Christopher on May 22, 1952. Priscilla and Phil moved to Detroit, Michigan and it would be another four years before their fourth son Maurice was born on April 1, 1956. Two more years and their fifth son Mark was born on May 7, 1958. Priscilla and Phil’s final blessing of children arrived with the birth of their sixth son Emile on August 27, 1963.
Priscilla took the business of raising six sons serious; Phil was a big rig truck driver-mechanic which required him to be away from home for long periods of time. Often finding herself alone at home with six growing boys, Priscilla did the best she could to raise her sons to be good people. She often relied upon the teachings of her youth to pass on morals and Christian beliefs, requiring her sons to attend church regularly, know right from wrong and conduct themselves accordingly.
Priscilla and Phil were together a couple of decades, their marriage was one of working together and at the same time it had its stormy periods. In 1968 they separated after 21 years together. Priscilla moved with the children to Kalamazoo, Michigan where she began working as a housekeeper at Bronson Hospital. Priscilla had been a stay-at-home mom (six boys!) so she was delighted with her work experience at the hospital. She got along with her co-workers and was well liked. Priscilla worked at the hospital until she moved herself and her four youngest sons to Los Angeles, California in 1970.
In 1971 with help from her sister Vera, Priscilla bought a house and moved into what would be her home for the next 17 years. In December of 1988 Priscilla sold her home and moved to Pasadena, California. Her sons all grown, her nest empty Priscilla lived in the Los Angeles Area by herself until health issues eventually prevented her from continuing to live alone. Priscilla’s remaining years were spent being feisty and refusing to willing submit to a wide range of painful health issues, yet in the end she lost the final challenge and was called home to rest by our Lord and maker on the early morning of July 22, 2013. She will be missed.
Priscilla M. Hinton is survived by all of her six children (Philip Jr., Stephen, Christopher, Maurice, Mark and Emile), seventeen grandchildren (Philip III, Dawn, Andre, Michael, David, Andrea, Aaron, Andre, Chris, Priscilla, Jason, Shaniesha, Donald (preceded), Angel, Coetta, Crystal, Emily and Shavonda), 20 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, two brothers (Harrell and Aaron), and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and loved ones.