Willie Walter Hinton III was born on December 10, 1945, in Praco, Alabama. He was the fourth of ten siblings and the eldest son, born to the late Willie W. II and Buhlar Hinton.

Willie graduated from Praco High School in 1964. Desiring greater opportunities than what the South offered at that time, with limited possessions yet great aspirations, he ventured to Cleveland, where his sister, Rosemary, was residing. There, he found employment at Bedford Hardware, owned by the Kravitz Family. In 1966, he was drafted into the Army. While serving, he became a skilled carpenter and earned several medals, including the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Sharpshooter Badge. After being stationed overseas in Germany, he returned to the United States and transitioned to Reserve status, which was followed by an honorable discharge.He then returned to Bedford Hardware and later became its manager. It was during this time that he met the love of his life, Betty A. Perkins.

After only three months of dating, Willie and Betty became engaged. Two years later, in August of 1971, they were united in marriage, sealing a partnership built on love and devotion. Together, they had two children, Lisa and Willie IV. Their love story was pure and simple. They remained in love and were happily married for 49 years until Betty’s passing in 2019. They held hands, shared popcorn during their movie date nights, watched Netflix by the fire, and traveled the world. While enjoying each other, they also delighted in raising their children: picking wild blackberries and crab apples to make homemade cobblers and pies, crafting annual ornaments for their Christmas tree, taking family bike rides, and dancing to their Motown favorites. Wanting the best for their children, they were intentional in providing a loving and enriching home. Willie and Betty were the best, devoted, joyful, and unwaveringly loving parents and, later, grandparents to Chandler and Blake.

Following his managerial experience at Bedford Hardware, Willie’s career in retail management continued. He earned the role of store manager for Cook United in the late 1970s, moving the family to Maryland, where he managed Uncle Bill’s, a retail store, as the first African American leader in the company’s history. In both 1980 and 1982, he received the award for Uncle Bill’s Number One Profit Manager. Wanting to be closer to family, Willie, Betty, and their children returned home to Cleveland, where he continued to manage Uncle Bill’s until he was recruited by the owner of Silverman’s Department Stores to manage one of the stores on Hayden Road in East Cleveland.

He continued to excel as a manager, supported and built meaningful relationships with his employees, and began a life of philanthropy, providing shoes, coats, and whatever else was needed to help the students at a nearby school, Chambers Elementary. Willie was later promoted to district manager of Silverman Brothers, overseeing operations at all Northeast Ohio locations. He was eventually recruited again and made his final career transition to manage Sam’s Club in Oakwood Village. While in this role, he stepped away momentarily to oversee the construction of a new Sam’s Club in Beavercreek, just outside of Dayton, and to train the new leaders and associates at that club. After the Beavercreek store was established, Willie returned to Oakwood Village, where he remained manager until his retirement in 2016.

Over the years, Willie remained a respected and esteemed leader in the community, among his associates, and among the department and assistant managers who worked for him. He helped catapult many into further success in their careers and remained a generous giver to those in need, both under his leadership and in the broader community. Because of his deep commitment to others, Willie was honored with the Key to the City of Oakwood Village in 2006 and the Key to the City of Solon in 2009. The late mayor of Oakwood Village, Gary Gottschalk, declared Tuesday, March 28, 2006, “Willie Hinton Day.” Willie also became part of the Blue Coat Legacy, a Sam M. Walton Award of Excellence, the highest individual honor within Sam’s Club, reflecting the kind of leader others aspire to be—one grounded in respect, service, and excellence. Alongside hundreds of family photos, the walls of Willie and Betty’s home were adorned with awards and recognitions honoring his excellence and his care toward others. Yet, for him, loving his family, giving to others, and serving his fellow man were among his greatest accomplishments.

In his personal life, Willie was a master craftsman. Applying and leveraging skills he honed in the Army, he remodeled homes, restored furniture, installed tile, and built structures and several decks, among many other projects. He also repaired cars, even once removing, restoring, and replacing an entire car engine. He was a self-taught botanist, resurrecting many plants others had “laid to rest,” and always kept a meticulous lawn. He was a cherished husband, father, grandfather, dog owner, dog lover, friend, neighbor, and human being.

Although Willie accepted Christ at an early age, he and his wife rededicated their lives to Christ and were both baptized by their son-in-love (Kyo) on January 25, 2019. Willie peacefully transitioned on November 13, 2025. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Betty, and by his siblings, Rosemary Hinton, Dollie Mae Woods, Flora Mae Gooden, and Larry Hinton. He leaves to cherish his memory his children, Lisa Cummings (Kyo) and Willie Hinton IV; loving siblings, Elizabeth Hinton, James Hinton (Gina), Darlene Gardner (Hilliard), Lewis Hinton, and Anthony Ray Hinton; loving grandchildren, Chandler and Blake Cummings; and a host of nieces, nephews, friends, and loved ones.