Carol Louise Hinds died at home in Carroll Valley, Pennsylvania, on February 5, 2025.
Professor Emerita of English Hinds lived by the ethos that the better part of life is “showing up,” which was her understated way of saying she felt a profound sense of duty toward the people and communities in her life. She cared so much that, often, she could not help informing us of how we needed to improve and, always, expressed her delight in us as well. Through her honesty and sense of humor, she let us know that we were loved deeply.
Hinds, born December 2, 1941, to John and Thecla (nee Rapacz) Hinds in Kansas City, Missouri, graduated from Pius X high school and then the University of Mary, receiving a bachelor’s degree in English in 1964 before earning a Ph.D. in English literature in 1983 at the University of Virginia.
At the University of Mary, she worked as a professor of English and academic administrator.
In 1995, she was hired as the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Mount St. Mary’s University. The first female to lead this academic area at Mount St. Mary’s, Hinds held that role until she returned to teaching English, as University Professor, in 2005. She retired in August 2023. A long-time member of the Friends of Catholic Education Board of Trustees, she received the organization’s Fr. John McElroy Award in 2016.
Students have noted that Dr. Hinds was a demanding teacher and that “she's got a great sense of humor and believes in each student,” and “you can talk to her about anything and everything and she makes time for everyone!”
Hinds is survived by her sister Valerie Jan Meyer (and William Meyer); seven nephews and nieces, Terry Hinds, Brian Pfitzner, Patrick Meyer and Kevin Meyer, Victoria Keil, Meghan Kugel, and Kathryn Meyer; eight grandnephews and grandnieces, and five great grandnephews and grandnieces. She was pre-deceased by her parents, her sister Mary Ann Pfitzner, her brother, James Hinds, and her nephew, Daniel Pfitzner.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests gifts be made to Mount St. Mary’s University to support the Carol Hinds Award for Exemplary Service. Contributions can be made online at https://msmary.edu/give/online-gift-form.html or mailed to 16300 Old Emmitsburg Road, Emmitsburg, MD, 21727. Memorial services will be held in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland on March 14 at 1:30 p.m., and the first week of March in Kansas City, Missouri.