December 5, 1933 – December 27, 2025
Ginger Hinkle, age 92, of Oxford, Florida, entered the eternal joy of the Lord on December 27, 2025. She passed away peacefully at Trinity Springs Assisted Living Memory Care in Oxford, wrapped in the love she so freely gave throughout her life. She was the daughter of Harold and Ruby Smith, who owned a farm in Bedford Township in Monroe County. From her earliest days growing up on a farm, Ginger radiated warmth, optimism, and whenever she entered a room, it was as if the sun had come out. Ginger’s faith in God was the steady light that guided her life. She attended church faithfully from childhood through adulthood and followed the example of her parents and grandparents in serving others.
At age 14, after courageously recovering from polio – the first known case in Monroe County – her compassion for others led her to chair the Mother’s March of Dimes Campaign, mobilizing mothers and volunteers to raise funds to combat the polio epidemic. During a junior high church camp, Ginger accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and committed her life to Christian service. “The joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10) was not only a verse she loved but also a truth she lived.
She graduated from Bedford High School in Lambertville in 1952, and from Albion College in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree in home economics. Ginger was a devoted mother whose home was filled with encouragement, laughter, music, and love. In 1976, Ginger became involved in the Koinonia Christian retreat movement, an experience that proved life-changing and helped carry her through a season of profound change, personal loss, and a difficult battle with breast cancer. While raising her three children as a single parent and continuing her long journey as a cancer survivor, Ginger returned to school, earning a master’s degree in early childhood education from Eastern Michigan University in 1980.
In 1977, when she met Rev. John Hinkle, whom she married on March 21, 1981, at First United Methodist Church in Jackson, they served together in churches in Flat Rock, Saginaw, and Saline. For nearly 45 years they shared a life of ministry and mutual devotion.
Ginger was especially drawn to children. She brought joy and sunshine into classrooms, helping children discover joy through movement and self-expression as a Creative Movement Consultant and Workshop Leader. Ginger founded and directed Sunnyside Children’s Center in the Huron School District in New Boston. Also, for more than 40 years, she shared her encouragement and confidence-building spirit as a Mary Kay Cosmetics consultant and Sales Director, mentoring countless women with kindness and grace.
In 2000, Ginger and John retired to The Villages, Florida, where Ginger became a charter member of New Covenant United Methodist Church, serving in women’s ministries. She founded the MOAMI (“Moving On After Moving In”) ministry, offering warmth, friendship, and connection to newcomers – a ministry that continues today.
In 2019, Ginger and John moved to Trinity Springs Assisted Living in Oxford, Florida, where John still resides today. Through every season of her life, Ginger remained resilient, grateful, and joy-filled.
Last Updated on March 31, 2026