Palmerton woman celebrates 85th birthday

Anastasia Hinkle, Palmerton, recently celebrated her 85th birthday. Born July 17, 1926, she was one of eight children born in Palmerton to John and Kathryn Hishta.

She grew up on Princeton Ave-West, and in the 1930s her family built a home on the newly constructed 100 block of Franklin Avenue. She graduated from Palmerton High School in 1944 and organized over 50 years of reunions for the class, including the last "hurrah" reunion she is currentlyplanning.

Anastasia was married to Abner Hinkle in 1952 and had two sons.

In a tragic small-engine plane crash, her husband was killed in 1965, leaving her a young widow with two sons to raise. She worked various bookkeeping jobs for over 40 years, the longest being at Fernbrook & Co. and Palmerton Auto Parts, where she still works.

Her son Ed Hinkle resides in Leola, Pa., with his wife Beth. Her son Allen Hinkle lives in Kansas with his wife Karen.

She has four grandchildren: Jessica (Hinkle) Cohen, and her husband Leon of Byram, N.J.; Eric Hinkle of Spring City, Pa., and his wife, Megan; Abby (Hinkle) Elder of Boynton Beach, Fla., and her husband Andrew; and Kyle Hinkle of Northampton, Pa. She has five step-grandchildren and four step-great-grandchildren: Amber, Alex and Lauren Cohen of Byram, N.J.; and Zander Hinkle of Spring City; as well as three step-great-grandchildren.

A surprise 85th birthday luncheon was thrown for her at P.J. Whelihans (Platz's) in July by grandchildren Jessica and Eric and their spouses. More than 20 friends and family members were in attendance.