Funeral services for Helen Rinker, 91 year old long time Buffalo resident who passed away Wednesday morning at the Lander Valley Hospital in Lander, Wyoming, will be held Monday, February 4th at 10:00 a.m. from the First United Methodist Church in Buffalo with Reverend Mark Calhoun of Lander and Reverend KyeongSu Jung of Buffalo officiating. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and also just prior to the services at the church. Burial will be in Willow Grove Cemetery with graveside services to follow the funeral. Donations in Helen's memory may be made to the First United Methodist Church Sunday School or the Buffalo Senior Center in care of the Adams Funeral Home in Buffalo.

Helen Elizabeth Rinker was born on March 2, 1921 in Sheridan, Wyoming to Bowen and Leta (Kimmel) Williams. She grew up on the Williams Ranch on Tongue River and attended the Wagner Country School for the first 8 years. She then attended Sheridan High School and graduated with the class of 1940. After high school Helen attended Sheridan College where she played on the first Girls Basketball Team. She graduated from Sheridan College with an Associate's Degree in Education. She taught for two years at the Pearl School in Rosebud County, Montana, for two years at the Kearney School and for two years at the Shell Creek School both in Johnson County.

Helen met Stanley Rinker at a country dance at the Kearney Hall and they were married on October 14, 1954 at the Methodist Church in Buffalo. Their reception was at the L.A. Wuthier Ranch on Piney Creek. Stanley and Helen made their home on the Williams Ranch on Piney and later moved to Buffalo where they owned and operated Stan's Steamway Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business until their retirement. Helen also worked for an optometrist Dr. Larry Liedahl. Stanley and Helen were married for 46 years and following Stanley's death in December of 2000, Helen moved to Lander where she lived with her daughter and granddaughter. Helen continued living in Lander until the time of her death.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Buffalo; Past Noble Grand of the Silver Rebekah Lodge #6 of Buffalo; Past President of the Johnson County Homemaker's Club and a Lifetime Member of the Piney Shell Creek Grange #67. Helen was a great wife, mom and grandmother and loved spending time with her family.

She is survived by one son, Gary Rinker and his wife Sharon of Recluse, Wyoming; one daughter Leta Rinker of Lander, Wyoming; three grandchildren, Jacob Hunt Rinker and his wife Erica of Altoona, Iowa, Zachary David Rinker of Anchorage, Alaska and Meredith Ann Rinker of Lander; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and a great host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one brother Billy Williams and one sister Norma Williams Porter.

ShridanMedia.com - February 1, 2013.