HOUSTON, Tex. — Don Eugene Hinderliter, 88, a native of Lewistown, IL and long-time resident of Rochelle, IL, passed away on Sunday in Houston, TX. He was a 1954 graduate of Lewistown Community High School. He completed three years of undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois in Champaign before attending and graduating from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. 

After a brief stint in private practice, he joined the United States Public Health Service with assignment to the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine in Mobile, Alabama. 

Upon separation from the USPHS, Dr. Hinderliter acquired a family practice of medicine in Rochelle, Illinois. In addition to a full-time medical practice, Dr. Hinderliter, served as Ogle County Medical Society president for two terms and was president of the Rochelle Community Hospital medical staff for many years where he also served on the Board of Directors. In 1980, he sat for the Board of American Family Physicians and became a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He served as delegate to the Illinois State Academy of Family Physicians House of Delegates.

After 38 years in family medicine, Dr. Hinderliter left family practice to spend five years as medical director for Logan State Prison in Lincoln, Illinois.

In 1984 Dr. Hinderliter was appointed by Governor James Thompson and confirmed by the legislature to the State of Illinois Economic Development Commission. Dr. Hinderliter was a member on Rochelle Greater Economic Development Commitee for several years. He was instrumental in Rochelle constructing its own short line railroad connecting the Chicago Northwestern and Burlington Northern railroads. This was the start of a major industrial and distributional business park for Rochele.

In the late 1970's Dr. Hinderliter was awarded the Parents Magazine seal of approval for a card game called Musical Rummy, which taught children to read musical notes. Dr. Hinderliter became involved in a new company called Eagle Productions and helped produce a 13-episode series called the Americans which ran on WREX-TV Channel 13, in Rockford and on WGN in Chicago.

Dr Hinderliter is survived by three sons, Donald Craig, Timothy James, and Don Eugene. He has one daughter, Shannon Marie. He is predeceased by his oldest son, David William, who passed in 2014. He has eleven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Dr. Hinderliter is the son of William Harmon Hinderliter and Wildred Luella (Burrows) Hinderliter. Both were life-long residents of Fulton County and are now deceased. 

His funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm Friday June 21, 2024 at Henry-Lange Memorial Home in Lewistown, IL. A visitation will be held one hour prior to services and burial will immediately follow the service at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lewistown. Condolences may be made at henrylange.com