Jerry Ernest Tinklin, 75, Atchison, KS, passed away peacefully at his home, Saturday, January 24, 2015 surround by his family.

Funeral Services will be 10:30 am, Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at the Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home in Atchison with Abbot Barnabas Senecal, officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery, Atchison. Family will receive friends, Tuesday, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Atchison Hospice or the American Cancer Society. Words of comfort and remembrance may be left online at www.beckerdyer.com.

Jerry was born December 18, 1939 in Atchison, the son of E.B. (Ernest Booth) and Gladys (Brun) Tinklin. Jerry’s lifelong work ethic started at a very young age, working alongside his father at the Tinklin Mattress Company and the Atchison Globe. He attended and graduated (1958) from Atchison High School.

Jerry married Connie (Fuhrman) and moved to California where he worked at a trucking company with his brother in law, Raymond Chew. In January of 1959 his first son, Timothy, was born. Soon after, he and his new family moved back to Atchison.

Jerry went to work for the Atchison Police Department and back to work at the Atchison Globe. In July of 1961, his second son, Donald, was born. After some years with the Police Department, Jerry decided to go into business for himself, buying a Meyers milk route and truck while still working at the Globe.

It’s really an understatement to say Jerry knew a LOT of people. He could have been the guy that the saying “a stranger is just a friend I haven’t met yet” could have been written for.

As the way of the milkman got phased out, Jerry found work at Benedictine College running the mailroom. In 1975, Jerry went to work for the Sheridan-Clayton paper company until his retirement.

In 1980 Jerry met the true love of his life, Becky Campbell. In 1982 they were married. Becky brought to the marriage 5 young boys. An instant family had begun. Jerry and Becky raised the boys in Atchison until they grew into young men and would seek their own adventures. Two serving our country, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan; and the others, finding their ways in different businesses.

In 2000 Jerry and Becky moved to Topeka to be closer to his sales territory. Not long after that move, they bought a small cabin at Lake Wabaunsee. When Jerry retired, he and Becky bought a larger house at the lake and moved there full time where they thoroughly enjoyed entertaining their first two grandchildren, Jacob and Jordan.

Jerry and Becky greatly enjoyed their time at the lake, boating, fishing, making new friends. Jerry especially enjoyed the golf and (quietly) relished beating some of those new friends (often).

It was at this lake they loved so much that in August 2004, Jerry had a tragic life changing accident. After golf, dinner, and a boat ride, Jerry was getting off the boat, slipped off the dock onto the rocks below and damaged his spinal cord. This accident paralyzed him from the chest down. Becky’s 24/7/365 care, love, commitment and devotion sustained him to the very end.

The following was found in a family photo album from 1897: “Leaves may wither, flowers may die, friends may forget you, but never will I.”

Jerry was preceded in death by both parents; a brother, Gale; and a sister, Wanda. Jerry is survived by his loving wife, Becky; sons, Timothy (Laurie) Tinklin, and Donald Tinklin, both of Roeland Park, KS; stepsons, Jamie (Wendy) Campbell, Jeff (Shelley) Campbell, Jeremy Campbell, and Joe Campbell, all of Atchison, and Jason Campbell, Dallas, TX; twelve grandchildren.