I remember that she was very concerned about my soul and that I was doing well. She wrote many times, asking how I was doing, and she wasn't just talking about my physical well-being. 

As a young girl, she was always very good. It seemed like she was never in trouble; she was like an angel from young. 

As a teenager, she was always writing to me and talking to me about my soul. I love her dearly. I miss her a lot. I wish I could talk to her, now that I am doing well and with the Church of God. 

Aunt Rachel

I remember the first time we met Sis. Rhoda. We visited her family unexpectedly and they invited us in their home. They were all gathered together, singing and playing different instruments. Sis. Rhoda was playing the piano. She was a beautiful piano player. She was also a very hard worker.  She was a very good example in all that she did. She was such a blessing in service. She would have a testimony most every service.  She had such a glow about her. We spent time traveling together to different congregations, along with Bro. Layne. It was so exciting to see the Church grow. She soon met Bro. Karl Rabel and we were blessed to attend their wedding.
Fast forward….
I remember the call that Sis. Rhoda had passed, giving birth to their son, David. We were deeply saddened. Only Heaven will reveal what we may not understand while in these earthen vessels.

Our Love and Prayers,
Bro. Tim and Sis. Connie Cox


I remember that morning, she had lost a lot of blood initially and that was how things started. I remember Mom Tinsman praying, “Lord, you made a way through the Red Sea; help this child to be born!” It was dire; she wasn’t dilating and having hard contractions. I remember that, all of a sudden, she tore and the baby was there – that fast. She was so relieved that the baby was born and then they cleaned him up  and laid him to see if he would nurse. At that time, they had tied off the cord and I was requested to cut the cord. I can’t remember if they got him to nurse. She was holding him and then she said, “David, you have a lot to learn!” Those were her first and only words that she ever spoke to him. Then she said, “I feel faint”; we then took the baby and put him in the crib, and then tended to her. We tried feeding her and then they gave her a herbal remedy. From that point, the situation became dire. From that point, she became worse and worse. And then her last words were, “I can’t see, I can’t see; but, I’ll see again!” 

*This is part of a recording made by Dad; there is much more that wasn’t included in this writing, but is available

Dad



I have many memories of my dear sister, Rhoda.   We were close in age, which also made us close in our relationship.   I remember the all-day horse rides that she and I would take across the countryside together.  I remember one particular day was below freezing and in our ride, we had to cross a creek.  The water was deeper then we thought and we both got wet. Before we were able to get home, both of our clothes was frozen stiff.
I remember the day that she got saved Oct 16, 1989 and the joy on her face. I, and my brother Jerry, was saved two nights later. We had sweet fellowship together.  We often would gather in her room to talk about the scriptures and how the Lord was helping and talking to us.  She was a real encouragement to me. She, with my brother Jerry, was the first ones that I told, that I was called to preach.
I struggled when she became engaged to be married to Bro Karl, not because of him, but the fact she was moving away.  I remember the special night per week when we would gather around the phone to call her as a family.
Like yesterday, I remember the morning we received the word that she had given birth to a boy, but that she had passed away.  The saints surrounded us and by God's grace we went through. David was a very special child; he is what we have remaining from her.  Her spirit surely rests upon him. We love you, David, more than I know how to say.

Uncle Ray


He was smirking. We parted company and went to service. Of course, then it went through all the campground that we were engaged. All of a sudden, Ron Walter comes to me and says, “Bro. Karl! Could you tell me what is going on?” I said, “ We’re engaged! I’m getting married!” He looks at me like, you can imagine, “ this 20 year old brother, I let him out of my sight for a minute and what happens?!” So, then the ministry was left stuck, wondering what to do. These young people are too young to get married, but they’re officially engaged. So, it was decided that we were able to get married the next summer in 1991, at the West Milton Campmeeting. That would’ve been the first meeting of the first day of the first Ohio campmeeting, which was an 11 month engagement. We wrote back and forth very diligently, and I came out once to visit her in Farmland and she came out once to Chilliwack there and then the wedding was on the campground. 
This picture is the last picture we have of her. So, by the lighting, it was probably early afternoon. So she went into more and more severe labor as the day went on and into the evening. Initially, we were just going to have the two mothers for the birth, because my mother and Anne Walter were not the best of teammates when it came to working together. Anne had said some things about my mother at a previous birth, and my mother said that Anne moved so slow. When things didn’t progress fast enough, then I got a call from Ron Walter (who was at the Walker meeting), asking how things were going. I didn’t know how much detail to give, so I think I gave the phone to my mother. Next thing we knew, Anne Walter popped and then she basically just took over everything. There was some dispute between my mom and her about how things should be done, even during that time. 


Story of Your Birth and Mom’s Passing
(transcribed from a recording made by Dad)

I met the Tinsman family in 1989 at the Walker, Louisiana campmeeting. I believe it was late November. When I left that meeting, I went back and talked to Ron Walter about marrying Sis. Rhoda. He said to just “leave it; pray about it and just leave it at that”. The next year in May (it was our May meeting in Nooksack); it would have been Nooksack ’90. The Tinsman family came across for the meeting there. In the course of the meeting, I asked Ron Walter if I could talk to Bro. Jerry and Sis. Vinnie about marrying their daughter and Ron said, “Sure, go ahead”. So, I went and looked them up after one of the services. I said that I needed to talk to them, and I think they already knew what was going on by that point. I was all of 20 years and she would’ve been 16…. So, any way, I asked them about marrying their daughter and Mom said, “Well, she feels the same way about you.” So, I asked, “May I go and talk to her?” and they said, “Sure, fine.” I don’t know what they thought I was going to say to her. So, I went into the Memory House and she was in there, having pre-prayer before whatever the next service was, coming up. She was kneeling at her seat and I sat in the back of that building and waited until she sat down. When she sat down, I called her name and she turned and looked at me. I said, “Do you want to go out and talk a little bit?” and she said, “Sure”. I said, “We can talk later or now”; she said, “ Now is ok”. So, we walked together from the Memory House across the campground to where the firepit was in the middle and we sat down (at a safe distance apart)on the bench. I told her that I felt like the Lord was leading our lives together to be married and she said that she felt the same way. Then I looked up and looked her in the eye and said, “Will you marry me?” and she said, “Yes”.  Just then, Jeremy Rabel comes from behind the tree and he was there, listening to us.

I also remember when you and Karl got together…you all would go to the gravel pit to take pictures of you guys with  a scenic background. Not long after that, you moved to Canada with your new hubby. That following August after you moved, we drove to see you at the Washington Campgrounds. Mom especially was very excited to see you. You were pregnant and was starting to show. Everyone was excited for you to have your first child. Not long after that, you went into labor and mom had gotten a plane ticket to fly out to be with you during your delivery and me and Dustin was sent to Rachel’s to be babysat while mom was gone. I’ll never forget that moment when the phone rang at Rachel’s house and we got the news you weren’t well. Both mom and Rachel were in panic mode and I knew something was wrong. Rachel stayed on the phone with mom, trying to help any way that she could, but to no avail. You had passed.  You left behind a beautiful baby boy named David and I remember when he came back to stay with us. He was such a good baby and we all took turns holding him. You would be so proud of the young man he has become.
So, until we meet again, 
Your brother, Anthony Tinsman


Dear Rhoda Lynne,
I was asked to write a memory of you and sitting here, I realize it’s been nearly 30 years since you left this earth. I was only 9 years old when you passed, but when I think back on those memories, certain clips come to mind. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe you were the last one mom gave permission to spank me if need be. However, I don’t ever recall that happening, but again, it’s been a long time. I think the biggest thing that stands out to me was your love of musical instruments, especially the piano, but you were also very good with other instruments as well.  You were always happy and had a big smile on your face most all the time. You also loved riding horses and training them. You were good at almost anything that you did. You were very smart and did very well in school and I know mom and dad were very proud of you. 

To my sister Rhoda, 
	To my little sister Rhoda, just a few lines, a few thoughts recollected and memories about you, Sis. I remember catching you sucking your fingers so we could get you in trouble; you never seemed to do anything bad, oh well. You loved to ride horses and play volleyball. You befriended my new wife – you called her Tammie Mae, she called you Rhoda Mae…..seems like a different life. But, you’re gone; it devastated our secure family and left us with your son. You would be so happy with him and his family. I still brag about your piano playing, and my guitar playing is none better. I miss you a lot, Sis and plan to spend eternity with you where our stories never end. 

Love you always, 
Tim


Rhoda …..my beautiful, sweet sister with a big heart and love for God.  Her musical talent was superb and often got her out of household chores!

Aunt Vicki


I remember one instance that includes Sis. Mary Abbott. Sis Rhoda really liked to bake. I would go to her house and wed always be baking. She grew up very healthy –not eating white sugar and white flour – and that was unheard of for me! I didn’t grow up that way. She’s the first person who taught me how to make homemade bread. Anyhow, I remember we had been to the Abbott’s house and Sis. Mary had made brownies and I remember that Sis. Rhoda kept going on and on about how the brownies were so delicious. She said she could never get brownies to taste like that. I told her that I was sure that they had been made out a box and of course that was unheard of in her mind. “You don’t ever make anything out of a box; why would you do that when you could make it from scratch?!” I told her, “Oh, you don’t understand, brownies are really good made out of a box!” So, the next time I went to her house, I took a box of brownies and we made them. Sure enough, they turned out just like Sis. Mary’s did and Sis. Rhoda was like, “Oh, that is the secret!” I remember her asking Sis Vinnie, “Can we please start buying brownies out of a box?” So, her mom agreed to occasionally buy brownies out of a box

Sis  Sally Cox


I have fond memories of Sister Rhoda as a young person.
I remember the night we knocked on the Tinsman's front door for the first time. 
She was very friendly and so enjoyed our visit. She played the piano beautifully!

I was there to witness Sister Rhoda getting gloriously saved at the meeting in Union City! In that same meeting, she also got sanctified. 
The Lord used her in a wonderful way.  She did not meet a stranger! Her eyes glistened with love for everyone that she spoke to. She showed her self friendly to all. 
She would come to young people's meeting in our home in Huber Heights on Friday evenings. Sis Rhoda, Brother Jerry Jr., and Brother Ray would stay so late in the evenings just visiting with us or talking about the Lord. 
She would ask lots of questions and would tentatively listen. 
She, her parents & siblings spent most every Sunday afternoon at our house having lunch with us. As a young person, she would never have to be nudged to help in the kitchen. Sister Rhoda always was quick to jump to her feet and to help where it was needed, with a smile on her face
She sang with her whole heart & loved to testify about her Lord, sharing her experience with being newly saved. 
Sis Rhoda was truly an example of Christ's love.
 Sister Rhoda learned to do baking from her mother & helped with daily duties in the kitchen. 
She immensely enjoyed eating brownies that I served at my house. 
Sister Sally has a story to tell about that
Sister Rhoda married young and moved away from the Huber Heights congregation. Our time together was too short. She was a blessing to all!

Sis. Mary Abbott


Sis Rhoda was a very radical Christian. I was at the meeting where she got saved. Salvation radiated on her face and was the theme of her life. Being raised on the farm she had many duties. She had to get up early to do chores before going to school. She would rise even earlier to go to the barn to pray and have her devotions. Her love for God was obvious; there were no doubts where she stood when it came to spiritual things.
She suffered for a time under sever accusations, but never let her own problems hinder her burden for souls. When she got saved, she hit the ground running. 
  Sis Rhoda and I were close friends. We often wrote letters when we weren't together. We attended meetings together. 
She eventually married Bro Karl. Sometime later, she and I were at a meeting in Manitoba and staying together. She told me the news of expecting her first child. She was sooo excited!
This child was born into this world November 26, 1992; just as the angels of God carried our dear Sister Rhoda into Abraham's bosom. Our all-knowing and all-wise Father in Heaven took this baby's Mother to himself. His purpose we do not know; we rest in His wisdom. But as her spirit took flight to the world beyond, she passed the baton to her newborn son. You have picked up where she left off, Bro David. May her spirit of fervency, radicalness, and love for holiness and The Church ever reign in your heart! I love you, Bro. David!
 Your mother's friend,
  Sis. Cynthia Kerby


Then she married Karl and moved to Chilliwack, and about a year later, I moved to Washington State, which is just across the line. We were in the same congregation and I was thrilled to be with her as I had considered her as my best friend. I also credit her, because of her diligence in keeping contact with me, a lot to my salvation. I was 15 ½ when I met the saints, and being so young and isolated…..I went to Ohio campmeeting, Washington State campmeeting and Louisiana campmeeting, so I had 3 weeks of meeting a year. I needed the extra prayers and encouragement, and Rhoda was definitely that for me.
After we both were living in the Northwest Corner, we would spend time together – singing together, laughing together…we enjoyed each other’s company so much. She was expecting at the time and didn’t have as much energy, of course, as she’d had before, so we didn’t do a lot of activities; we mostly just spent time together.
The main thing that really stands out to me now is the intensity of her love for God and her burden that all souls be saved. It was an intense burden. An intense love for God and an intense burden for mankind. I haven’t seen anything like it since.

Aunt Tamara


Rhoda and I met in Walker, Louisiana campmeeting in November of 1989. She had just been saved that October and I had already been saved for accouple years at that point, but I had just come out of Faith and Victory. I remember Rhoda would follow me around that meeting and every time I would look at her, she would give me this huge smile. She always made me feel very comfortable, very welcome. She was a very warm, gentle personality. Being new there, she wanted me to feel very comfortable. Every time I’d look up, it seemed, for the first day at least, she’d be looking at me and she’d smile. One of her first questions, of course, was my name and her second one was, “Are you saved?” She was known for that; whenever she would meet someone, she would ask them if they were saved. That was always a question she’d ask. She would even ask professing Christians that, and that didn’t always go over the best. 
I remember her singing –special singing – she was a song leader amongst the young people for the first while, probably the whole time she was living, and then Sis. Becky came along later. She was very fervent, very sincere in her love for god. She had a sincerity and fervency that I don’t believe I’ve seen since. It was a beautiful, beautiful thing to watch and see and it made you feel like you wanted to get closer to God, just by you being with her. There was something about her person that made you crave God and it made you crave spirituality. She pulled that out of people, just by her own presence and by the way she was. She was very devout in her personal piety and her worship of God.
I was living in Oklahoma at the time with no saints around. She was very faithful to write me letters; she, Jerry and my husband, Ray (of course, he wasn’t my husband then) would call me from time to time. Maybe around once a month. They would sing to me, she would often instigate that. 

I didn’t have the privilege of knowing Rhoda for a long time.  When I met her at the end of 1990, she was already engaged and I only had the opportunity to spend time with her on one other occasion before she was married. Rhoda was the one who prayed with me to get saved. She was the one who most drew me to even being saved. I loved her the instant I met her and thought if she was what salvation was, I could easily be talked into it. She was so warm and personable. She was beautiful in every way.
The only time I was at their house before she got married, I remember her getting up extremely early to pray and I, newly saved and easily given to accusations, wondered how long a person could possibly pray!! Come to find out an hour or more later, she was fast asleep on her knees and I felt a little better about my salvation.
Rhoda and Jerry were extremely close. Jerry told me that he was closer to her than any of his other siblings and even after we were married, which was a year and a half after her death, he would cry sometimes. Of course, our daughter Rhoda was named after her. He told me early on in our marriage that our first daughter would be named Rhoda. David was named after Jerry, according to what his mother told me when she excitedly informed me that she was expecting. Of course, she didn’t know at that point if it would be a boy and I didn’t know I would marry her brother, but I clearly remember her telling me what his name would be if she had a boy and why.
I only wish I could’ve known her better, especially as a sister-in-law. She left us so young.

Aunt Becky


I vividly recall the very first time I met Sis. Rhoda.  I believe it was in New Carlisle, OH at an outreach meeting.  Although she said very little, her very presence radiated holiness.  I had never met another young person that gave me such a desire to possess what she had (I was unsaved at the time).  My fondest memories of her were on the Tinsman farm.  I remember watching her wake up early in the morning and immediately get down on her knees to pray.  She told me she liked to spend time with the Lord before conversing with others.  Her prayer was brief as she had early morning chores to do.  After breakfast was cleared up and the main chores were completed she would go off to the old barn beyond the corn crib (if I recall it correctly) to have her morning devotions.  She would be gone for about an hour and return clutching her Bible and Evening Light songbook with such a glow on her face.   Her excitement for the things of God could be felt.  I always secretly wondered what her devotions must be like and wished I could be an observer.  Her passing was a real blow to me.  Although I was not always doing the best,  her life was what gave me the springboard to go to deeper depths.  Her memory will always live on for me as the Lord points me to her example of personal piety and zeal.

Sis. Agnes Wiebe


OBITUARY

Rhoda Lynne (Tinsman) Rabel

6 March, 1974 – 27 November, 1992

Zechar Bailey Funeral Home

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