Ector, Texas -- Rollie Rinker was born November 22, 1937 in Van Buren, Arkansas. He died July 28, 2026 in Spearman Texas.
Rollie was the 12th of 14 children born to Joseph and Mamie Jennings Rinker. When he was a young boy, his family moved to Elmore City, Oklahoma where he attended school, graduating in 1956. During high school, he developed a love and talent for basketball. Rollie accepted a full scholarship from Coach Redin at Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, Texas, where he was an All-American choice. It was at Wayland that he met his one and true love, Ann Ray. They married in Fairbanks, Alaska on August 18, 1959, and returned to Wayland for their senior year, both graduating in 1960 with Education degrees.
Rollie coached and taught history in Plainview and then Floydada. In 1977, he made the transition to school administrator. The family, now including sons Gary and John Mark, moved to Perryton, Texas when Rollie accepted the position of assistant high school principal. A few years later, Rollie moved over to Central Elementary, Perryton, as principal.
In 1985, the family moved to Ector, Texas, to be near Ann's elderly parents, where Rollie returned to the gym and classroom. Shortly after their first grandchild, Lisa, was born, Rollie and Ann moved back to the Texas Panhandle, landing first in Borger, where Rollie was the assistant junior high principal and then Fritch as the elementary principal.
In 2000, Rollie and Ann retired from Texas teaching but chose one more "education" adventure by accepting a one year contract to teach at an American school in Trinidad/Tobago, Caribbean.
In each town the family lived, they found a church home. Rollie served as a deacon, a Sunday school teacher, and committee member at many of these churches. While their sons were young, the family made trips to Maryland, Michigan and Utah with Builders for Christ.
After retirement, Rollie and Ann made numerous mission trips abroad to Russia, Germany, South Africa, Brazil and Hungary. Many of these trips, they taught VBS lessons or did English language camps with children, each time sharing the gospel in many creative ways.
Rollie, Dad, Pop will be missed. He loved to make people laugh and was very good at it. People truly enjoyed being around him and hearing his stories and jokes. He loved his family deeply and was incredibly proud of them, always attending the grandkids' sporting events, choir concerts, plays, and any other activities they were involved in.
He also had a great passion for sports, whether listening to them on the radio or watching on TV. He eventually learned to play golf and later took up cornhole. Above all, he loved the time spent with family, especially playing games on game night.
From the stories he told, to his funny faces, Rollie always knew how to brighten up a room. He was a man of God, serving the Lord through his church, missions, and the way he loved and led his family.
Rollie's legacy will continue to live through his loved ones including wife Ann, sons and daughters-in-law Gary and Kim, John Mark and Jennifer, all of Perryton, Texas. Grandchildren: Lisa of Abilene, Texas, David and Katie of Rogers, Arkansas, Kevin of Bentonville, Arkansas, Tori and Aidan Petty of Pampa, Texas, and Emily of Perryton, Texas. Great grandchildren - Ember Rinker, Luna and Leo Hunt all of Rogers, Arkansas. A brother James and Sylvia of Virginia, and sister Carol of Taiwan, many nieces and nephews and a multitude of friends.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Boxwell Brothers.
A memorial service and interment will be at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, October 10, at Carson Cemetery, Ector, TX.
Immediately after the interment, visitation with family and friends will be at New Zion Baptist Church.
