Funeral for Rhea Tinker
Harper’s Community Funeral Home
With Christ in Peace:
June 16, 2026
Committal Service: June 20, 2026
In the
Name of the Father, and of the Son X and of the Holy Ghost – Amen
When we were baptized into Christ Jesus, we were baptized into His death. We were buried with Him by our Baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our sister in Christ, Rhea Tinker. We thank You for giving her to us to know and to love a as companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In Your boundless compassion console all who grieve her passing. Give us your aid so we may see in death the gate that leads to eternal life. May we continue our course on earth in confidence, until by Your call we are united again with those who have gone before us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The Words and promises of our Lord –
Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Romans 8:31-39
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Timothy 4:6-8
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Be still my soul; the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still my soul; your best, your heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still my soul; the hour is hastening on.
Where we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last. [1]
Death is so limited…
It has not crippled love,
It has not shattered hope,
It has not corroded faith,
It has not eaten away peace.
Nor destroyed confidence.
It has not killed friendship,
It has not shut out memories,
It has not silenced courage,
It has not invaded the soul,
Nor reduced eternal life.
It has not quenched the Spirit,
It cannot, has not,
Nor will not lesson the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Rhea Tinker – a child of God – she successfully celebrates the three great birthdays of her life.
First, there is the day of her birth – the day she entered this world. Endowed by our Creator with talents, abilities, and gifts to be used by her Savior as a witness in this world.
Solomon asks, "who can find a virtuous woman?" Her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and no evil all the days of her life. (Proverbs 31:10-12 KJV)
For 54 years Rhea stood by Don’s side as they raised their family here in New Haven.
Community Service was important for Don and Rhea. As Don served as Fire Chief of Adams Twp Fire Station 1 and Captain of the Traffic Division for the Allen County Police. Rhea would stand by his side those 54 years and then after his passing; volunteering at Harbor-Side Rehabilitation now Majestic Care.
Family time was important for Rhea which included 5 children, 15 grandchildren, and 36 great grandchildren and 3 great- great grandchildren.
David reminds us in Psalm 127: "Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.” Then he concludes: “Blessed is the man whose quiver is full.” Fifty-nine and counting is a full quiver!
Solomon can conclude with these words: “She always faces tomorrow with a smile. When she speaks, she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household and keeps them all busy and productive. Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: “Many women have done wonderful things, but you’ve outclassed them all!” Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves! Adorn her life with praises!” (Proverbs 31: 26-31 ‘The Message’ Paraphrase)
You, her family, were as much a part of her life as she was of yours! Always servicing, always nurturing; she brought and kept your family together. The best way to honor her memory is to keep your family connected; to the LORD Jesus and to each other. You are her legacy.
Rhea was a faithful member of Martini Lutheran Church as faith and family went together. She knew the Scriptural truth “if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. – But if we confess our sin, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8)
The second great day of her life was the day she was born again or, when she was born spiritually, when she was born of God. When she was baptized.
Rhea was welcomed into God’s family – the Church – the communion of saints – where she grew in her faith and lived her faith as a redeemed child of God her heavenly Father. The day she was baptized, was the day Rhea was born spiritually, when she was born of God the Holy Ghost.
Her third great birthday was the day she was born into glory – June 16, 2026
As Rhea was taught; we remember that her church family is not made up only of those on this earth. There is an extended family. A family of those who dwell in glory. On that day Rhea Tinker took a walk –
From one end of the Father’s kingdom to the other – from the kingdom of grace into the kingdom of glory. She closed her eyes to this world and when she opened them, again she saw Jesus face to face.
Today we celebrate her victory of life.
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through Me– (John 5:24)
Some believe we must work and then dedicate our lives to Jesus. Not so. He is the one who does it all. God our heavenly Father is completely responsible for our salvation from front to back! We don’t one day wake up and decide to follow Jesus –
He plants the seed of faith in our heart. He then nourishes that faith by giving us His eternal Word, which is able to make us wise unto salvation. Jesus said, Whoever hears My word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. (John 5:24)
We simply respond in faith. Peter reminds us, “Cast all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) St. Paul would remind us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” – (Philippians 4:6-7)
This peace of God is not simply a psychological state of mind, but it is an inner tranquility based on the peace which only He can give – it is the peaceful state of those whose sins are forgiven. This peace comes when the believer commits all his cares to the LORD in prayer and worries about them no more.
And once we trust in Jesus who has saved us, we do not come into judgment, but we pass from death to life. We simply trust in Jesus. We simply take Jesus at His word.
All Jesus asks of us is to trust Him.
Trust is nothing more than another word for faith.
Faith is nothing more than taking Jesus at His word.
We trust that what Christ accomplished at the cross on Calvary’s hill is all that is needed to win for us salvation.
Jesus’ words, spoken from the cross on Good Friday, “It is finished!” says it all! There is nothing left to be done. Jesus did it all at the cross.
Trusting in Jesus’ work and merit is what our faith must focus.
We therefore commit our cause to a gracious and compassionate Savior.
He knows our every need.
He is capable to meet every single need regardless of circumstance.
He will do all for you.
Every promise He will fulfill. He has had compassion. The Passion of the Christ is motivated by the Father’s compassion for a fallen world. When He gave up His own Son, He did the very best.
We commit our lives into the Savior’s care. He has redeemed us lost and condemned creatures and has purchased and won us from sin, from death and from the power of the devil.
Rhea trusted the words of her Savior. They were for her truth and life. “A good name is more desirable than great riches…” (Proverbs 22:1a) She trusted not in her own wisdom. She trusted not in her own merits. She trusted in the work and merits of her Savior Jesus. “…to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1b) Rhea knew she was a sinner. She knew she was a sinner redeemed by the Savior’s amazing grace.
Rhea knew the scriptures well, which simply says, “All have fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:28) And again, “the soul which sins, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20)
Yet, pay attention to the clear words, and the gentle voice of her Good Shepherd Jesus who says, “All that which the Father gives me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)
Rhea knew of this reality - that when God pardons, He does not say He understands your weakness or make allowances for your errors. Rather, He disposes of, finishes with, the whole of your dead life and raises you up with a new one. He does not so much deal with your failures as does He drop them down the black hole of Jesus' death. He forgets your sins in the darkness of the tomb. He remembers your iniquities no more in the forgetfulness of Jesus' death. He finds you in the desert of death, not in the garden of improvement. And in the power of Jesus' resurrection, He puts you on His shoulders, rejoicing, and brings you home![2]
In the gospel of John Jesus came to visit a grieving family. He came to greet Mary and Martha who were grieving the loss of their brother Lazarus. In His conversation with them Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Then He asks, “Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
We each must ponder this question…
Is Jesus the resurrection and the life? The testimony of Scripture is undeniable! – The early disciples would simply say, “We are witnesses of these things!” (Acts 5:32; 10:39)
Do you believe – that whoever believes in Jesus, even though they die will live and not die?
Rhea believed this – she knew that she was a sinner. But she also knew that Christ is compassionate who has promised to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness –
For this reason we can say that Rhea Tinker is alive, she is well, she is whole, she is at peace, she is in the very presence of Jesus her Savior. And, as we continue in this same faith, we will see each other – never to be separated by distance or space. That is why you and I are and always will be Easter people.
If there is one thing I have learned in life it is this - we cannot go it alone. We need each other. We need a Savior. Our Lord Jesus has given us a wonderful promise. – May it be yours this day. – “I am with you always.” (Matthew 28) Were the last words Jesus spoke to humans while He was standing on this earth. This is not a wish. – It is a reality we know by faith.
Rhea knew the Savior’s voice. Now she sees His face.
This service is for the living. –Rhea was given the opportunity to live her life. – We continue on. - Life will be different. – There shall be a new sense of “normal” in your routines. - But we walk by faith. – Until that day comes in your life when Jesus will call you from this world to a world that has no end.
From an earthly kingdom – to a heavenly kingdom – From a place which is limited to a place that is beyond time & space. May the Savior walk with you until we are re-united with those who have gone before us.
__________
Lord God Heavenly Father, Your days are without end and Your mercies cannot be counted. Make us aware of the shortness and the uncertainty of this human life; and let Your Holy Spirit lead us all the days of our lives so that when we shall have served You in our generation; we like our sister Rhea may be granted the gift of eternal life and be gathered into the home which You have prepared for all who trust in You and call you Lord. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Into Your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend the remains of Your servant and our sister. She was a sheep of Your fold, a lamb of Your flock, a sinner of Your own redeeming. We thank You for having granted her the gift of eternal life and pray that all who grieve over her death may turn their sadness into joy knowing of the peace which their lived one has begun to enjoy and will enjoy throughout all eternity.
Robert
Farrar Capon, Parables of Grace, pg. 39
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