Sue R. Hinkle

"We lost our Mother and Grandmother, Sue Hinkle, a sparkling, generous extrovert who never knew a stranger. An adventurer to the end, this woman smuggled bibles into Burma, led VBS in Africa, and played Dance Central with her grandchildren on the Xbox last Christmas. We are proud to be her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and hope to be even half as kind, creative, strong, and courageous as she was." Taken from Annie Parsons Facebook-September 19, 2012

Sue R. Hinkle, 78 passed away suddenly following a short battle with pancreatic cancer on September, 18, 2012. Sue was a retired Christian Education Director at West Side Church in Richland and a lifetime teacher to many children and adults in the community, and her passion was to make the Bible come alive to her students. Sue's Christian faith was the center of her life and her use of her time and resources no doubt have had a significant impact on many people throughout the Tri-Cities area as well as countries around the globe. She was an ESL teacher for many years, working with immigrants who took refuge from oppressive countries in the Tri-Cities. She also participated in mission trips to countries such as Costa Rica, Malawi, Burma, and Albania, teaching Vacation Bible Schools, and providing support for clean water projects. Her love for others was the passion that drove all she did. Her heart was always for children and the less fortunate.

Sue was born on November 28, 1933 in Anthony, KS. She lived in Kansas and Oklahoma during the Great Depression with her parents, Oscar and Jaunita Ryel, who brought her first briefly to Sunnyside, WA and then to Richland in 1944, where work was available at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. She attended Marcus Whitman and Columbia High School, graduating in 1951.

Sue married Kenneth D. Hinkle shortly after graduating from high school and raised a family of three children in Richland. She lost her father Oscar in 1997, husband Ken in 2007, and mother Jaunita in 2009, caring for them tirelessly and personally in their declines. She is survived by her three children, Steve Karen Hinkle of Valencia, CA, Susan Parsons of Prairie Village, KS, and Tom Elaine Hinkle of Richland. She is also survived by eight grandchildren Debra, Cheryl and Corey Hinkle; Jeremy, Annie, Becca, and Sarah Parsons; Kadi Hinkle, four great-grandchildren, and a special first cousin, Doris Walker.

A graveside service will be held Saturday, September 29 at 2:00 at Einan's cemetery, followed by a celebration of Sue's life at 3:00 at West Side Church in Richland. Visitations are scheduled for Thursday, September 27 from 12:00 to 5:00PM and Friday from 5:00 to 8:00PM at Einan's. In lieu of flowers the family asks that gifts in memory of Sue would go to West Side Church, where a memorial fund has been created to be divided equally between World Relief and Alpha ministries. In addition, memorial gifts can be sent to Sign Fracture Care International in Richland, WA. These are three of the causes she was most passionate about.