Judy Tinkel

Judy Elizabeth Foy Tinkel, 87, passed away peacefully at 5:15 a.m. Sunday, May 12, 2024, at Grace Village Retirement Community in Winona Lake.

Judy was born in her family home on Sept. 13, 1936, in the coal mining village of Whipple, W.Va., to John Wesley and Effie Olive (Jones) Foy. She went to Oak Hill Grade and Junior High School and graduated from Collins High School in Oak Hill, W.Va.

On Feb. 27, 1953, Judy was married in Beckley, W.Va., to Paul D. Tinkel. They celebrated 63 years of marriage before his passing in 2016.

Judy was a dedicated mother of three daughters and a committed minister’s wife for 50 years. They were members of the Oak Hill First Brethren Church and the West Eel River Church of the Brethren. She worked as her church’s secretary for 15 years and in sales for Kmart stores.

She held several positions in the community: former co-president of the PTA, vice president of the National Brethren Women’s Missionary Society and past member of Kiwanis International. Judy formed and started several junior worship programs, was an adult Sunday school teacher for many years, and organized and was in charge of several very large vacation Bible schools.

She was a member of Warsaw First Christian Church and loved tending to her flower garden. Judy adored her Wednesday morning get-togethers with her “Donut Ladies.”

Judy is survived by her daughters, Paula Elizabeth (Dan) Gray, of Wabash, Cheryl Lynn Kessler, of Fort Wayne, and Deanna Kay Ladd (John) Richards, Warsaw; grandchildren, Nathan (Stephanie) Gray, Brandon (Marianne) Gray, Colin (Megan) Gray, Eric (Marsha) Kessler, Julie (Austin) Smith, Jason (Jaime) Ladd and Jennifer (Chad) Dahms; great-grandchildren, Kayleigh, Cortney, Zachary and Kaidence Gray, Jocelyn and Tyler Smith, Kaylynn and Haylee Dahms, Zoe and Hudson Ladd, Alanna Gray, and Aiden and Ava Gray; and her special friends, Nedra and Ruth.

She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Paul Dean Tinkel; her parents; and her sister, Janet Payne Vargo.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels, 2290 Provident Court, Warsaw. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. in the chapel with Pastor Matthew Rogers officiating.

Burial will be in the Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to First Christian Church, 115 Park Ridge Drive, Warsaw, IN 46580

To sign the guestbook or send a condolence to the family, please visit mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com.