Clifford Lee Poole

Clifford Lee Poole, 74, of Chapel Hill and eastern Chatham County, N.C, died February 21, 2019. He was a man of uncommon gentleness and acceptance. All of his life he loved beauty, song and well-prepared food, and was accomplished in creating all three.

Clifford was born on June 24, 1944, in Mary Elizabeth Hospital, Raleigh, N.C. He grew up in Knightdale, N.C., living with his mother, her husband and his younger sister Norma. Through his teenage years and into young adulthood he was nurtured and encouraged by his mother and his Aunt Dot and Uncle Jack Smith of Raleigh.

After graduating from Knightdale High School he attended Atlantic Christian College, now Barton College, where he met and fell in love with Don Hinshaw. He and Don lived together and were devoted to each other for the rest of their lives.

After living in Manila, Philippines and New York City for a number of years he and Don, along with their business associate Roberta Whittington, began Hinshaw Music Company and moved to Chapel Hill, N.C., where they developed and operated Hinshaw Music, a nationally successful religious music publishing business with an emphasis on choral works.

Cliff was a talented interior decorator and musician with a beautiful singing voice. He was a superb chef, over the years repeatedly cooking his way through all of Julia Child's cookbooks to the delight of the many guests he and Don entertained so well.

Cliff and Don lived full and rich lives, traveling often and widely throughout Europe, the United States and Mexico.

He was predeceased by his life's partner Donald G. Hinshaw, his mother, Elsalee Smith Poole, his aunt Dorothy Smith and uncle John C. Smith, Sr., and several cousins. He is survived by his sister, Norma Poole Murphy and her husband Charlie of Knightdale, his nephew Scott, two great nephews, and numerous loving maternal cousins.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh.