Lawrence ‘Larry’ Tinkham
Lawrence “Larry” Lee Tinkham was born on April 22, 1932 to Ray and Grace (Bruning) Tinkham in Helvey, Neb. He attended and graduated from high school in Sargent.
He was inducted into the United States Army on April 14, 1953. Larry served his country for two years during the Korean War, mostly at Fort Sill, Okla. He was honorably discharged on April 13, 1955 at the rank of Private First Class.
Larry married Nancy Anabel Hust on Jan. 20, 1957 in Imperial; they would remain married for 55 years. The couple made their first home in Lincoln while Lawrence attended Technical School in Milford, where he studied diesel mechanics. After he received his Associates Degree the couple moved to the family farm 10 miles west of Imperial.
Lawrence made his life providing for his family and took great pride in that fact. He was a talented mechanic and welder and was proud to be a hard-working farmer. He loved to build things for his children, fixing things, riding horses on the family ranch in Sargent and watching and listening to Husker football.
Health issues forced him to move to McCook, where he resided at the Hillcrest Nursing Home for a few years.
Larry passed away peacefully at McCook Community Hospital in McCook after a final battle with pneumonia on Aug. 18, 2017. He was 85 years of age.
Preceding him in death were his parents; wife Nancy; brother Donald (Evelyn) Tinkham; brother Raymond (Bernice) Tinkham; daughters Christina Marie and Rebecca Lee Tinkham; son Steven Paul Tinkham; sister-in-law Norma (Howard) Surber; and brother-in-law Glenn Poland.
Survivors include son Patrick (Angela) Tinkham of Colby, Kan.; daughters Vickie (Dale) Oard of Colby, Kan., Sue (Bill) Hagemann of Culbertson, Jennifer (Dan) Fosbinder of Wallace, Barbara (Clayton) Baney of Brule, Jane (Travis) Keith of Culbertson, Kelcy (Jeff) Ruggles of McCook; sister-in-law Laurel Poland of Sargent; 25 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Memorial services for Larry Tinkham will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 24 (today) at the First United Methodist Church of Imperial with Pastor Dirk Weiss and Rev. Melody Newman officiating. Inurnment will follow at Chase Cemetery, with full Military Honors.
There will be no visitation; Larry chose cremation.
A memorial has been established in Larry’s memory.
Online condolences may be left at liewerfuneralhome.com.
Liewer Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.