Visitation will be from 2 – 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at Bailey-Love Mortuary, 35 West Park Drive, Huntington, Indiana. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at Bailey-Love Mortuary with Dr. Sherilyn Emberton officiating. There will be one hour of visitation prior to the service. Private family graveside services and entombment will be in Gardens of Memory in Huntington County.
Preferred memorials are to Parkview Boys and Girls Club of Huntington County, Parkview Huntington Family YMCA, or Historic Forks of the Wabash, in care of Bailey-Love Mortuary, 35 West Park Drive, Huntington, Indiana, 46750.
Homer was born on September 24, 1934 in Lancaster Township, the son of Ira Vern and Mary (Hoover) Hiner. He graduated from Lancaster High School in 1952 and served in the United States Navy and Reserves from 1955-1960, during which time he was a gunner’s mate (GMM3) on the USS Holder Destroyer. He began his work in the trucking business for American Van Lines in 1957. Ten years later, Homer established Hiner Transport, Inc. in Huntington as a sideline to his diesel repair shop. In addition to his repair business, which he maintained during the day, he hauled grain at night locally. Homer married Marjorie L. Hoss on July 14, 1973 in Bluffton. Hiner Transport Inc. grew, servicing both dry and refrigerated freight as a contract carrier in 48 states and Ontario. By 1997, the fleet numbered 132 units with 312 trailers all bearing the familiar blue, burgundy, and teal logo. He retired in 1999. Homer was on the Board of Directors for both the Truckload Carriers Association and the Indiana Motor Truck Association and served on the Committee for Small Carriers for the American Trucking Association. He was inducted into the Huntington Sports Hall of Fame in 1978 with the 1951 Lancaster High basketball team. He was named ABWA Business Associate of the Year in 1983 and spent 33 years cooking brats for the ABWA Brat Tent during Huntington Heritage Days. He was a board member of Huntington Noon Kiwanis Club and received the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame Business BEL Award in 2002. In 2007, Homer received an Honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree from Huntington University and the HU Foundation Distinguished Service Award in 2016; that year he also received the Honorary Builder of the Y Award and PARtners Award from the Parkview Huntington Foundation. In 2017, he was selected Chief of the Flint Springs Tribe. He treasured family cruises and RV trips. He loved watching sports, especially Indiana University basketball and enjoyed mowing and playing golf; in 1993 he achieved a hole-in-one on the 11th hole at Norwood Golf Course in Huntington.
Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Marjorie L. Hiner of Huntington, a daughter, Marcy Hiner Faurote of Huntington, sons Robert (Lisa) Hiner of Fort Wayne and Gary (Mollie) Hiner of Huntington, stepsons Richard (Dawn) Hacker and David (Heather) Hacker, both of Huntington, sisters Crystal Essex of Huntington and Dorothy (Max) Andrews of Criderville, Ohio, a brother, Charles (Shirley) Hiner of Fort Wayne, seven grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and three step-great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Marjorie Tubbs, and a brother, Earl Hiner.
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