It is with deep heartfelt sadness that we announce the passing of Phyllis Violet Rinas on January 10, 2021. She passed away peacefully in her sleep at University of Alberta Hospital at the age of 89. She had pre-existing conditions of severe dementia and asthma, and ultimately succumbed to Covid-19.
Phyllis was born in Thorsby, Alberta on December 1, 1931 to Emilie and Karl Mielke and was the youngest of 3 children. Phyllis was raised in Telfordville and after completing her grade 8 education, she left school to help run the family farm. In the early 1950s, she worked at Brown’s Cleaners in Edmonton specializing in pressing fine linens and long arm gloves. In 1955, she met the love of her life Robert Rinas and shared a loving and devoted married life of almost 61 years and soon thereafter, their family became five with the arrival of two sons and a daughter. Phyllis was a devoted Christian and exceptional mother to three and was very generous with her time in serving and supporting Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, her children’s school activities and canvassing for numerous charitable organizations.
Phyllis shared her gift of creativity in crafts and baking with fundraising organizations to help bring awareness and fund support to these causes. Her joy was sharing her crafting hobby with Robert; he enjoyed woodworking in constructing birdhouses and tulip flowers and, Phyllis in staining, decorating, and donating them to fundraising events. In the 1970’s, she worked at Ottewell Place Lodge sharing her talents in the kitchen and planning different themed bazaars and events. In the early 1980’s, she shifted her career to retail selling ladies clothing at Johnson Walkers. In her retirement, Phyllis and Robert enjoyed many driving trips across Alberta and British Columbia and always found time to golf at Devon and Radium Hot Springs golf courses, soaked up the goodness of the hot springs, or playing catch with her children. Phyllis was ‘a gift’ to all who crossed her path, as she warmly welcomed them by showing she had a genuine interest in the details of others’ lives and made a point of remembering them and their life stories. She had a generosity and sense of humour, a grace, and a warm and radiant smile. She had kindness and gratefulness, taught by example by her parents… Phyllis made people feel special. Her greatest joys were her family, friends, hosting dinners, baking mouth-watering pastries and breads, tending to her flower and vegetable gardens, canning, baking, crafting, listening to country gospel music, and cheering on the Edmonton Eskimos and Edmonton Oilers.
Left to cherish and honor her life are her three children, Barry Rinas (Lorraine), Doug Rinas (Lorraine), and Connie Samycia (Daryl); 4 grandchildren: Caris, Aaron, Adam and Alan, and numerous nieces and nephews. Phyllis was pre-deceased by her loving and devoted husband, Robert Rinas in 2016, her mother and father Emilie & Karl Mielke, and siblings: Kate (Adam) Hartfelder and Bernard (Evelyn) Mielke.
Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, a private service will be held on January 21st, 2021 at 11:00 am with Pastor Ingrid Doerschel of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church officiating.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Timothy Chan and his colleagues at the University of Alberta Hospital in ward 5D3 and to Dr. Michael Fiorino of Good Samaritan Southgate for their compassionate care and support. We would like to also express sincere and heartfelt thanks to the second-floor staff at Good Samaritan Southgate. For almost 4 years, mom called G.S.S. her home and she called it home not because it was a place to rest her head or to have meals, but because you, the staff, as you became her family. You made her feel welcomed, loved, cared for, respected and safe, and this meant the world to us children. Thank you seems so inadequate to properly express our appreciation and indebtedness to you; so instead, we leave you with this prayer that God’s richest blessings continues to smile upon you and the stewardship work you do for the Good Samaritan Society.
We would also like to thank Pastor Ingrid Doerschel and Phyllis’ present and past church community family at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. It is through her love for God, your friendship, and the words of God shared, that had blessed her with a life of meaning and purpose. Thank you and God bless.
In lieu of flowers, Phyllis can be remembered through a memorial donation to a charity of your choice or to one of hers: Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (trinity-lutheran.ab.ca), Good Samaritan Society (gss.org) or the Alzheimer Society (alzheimer.ca/ab/en) with the tribute gift “In Memory of Phyllis Rinas” c/o 6 Ogilvie Place, Edmonton, AB T6R 1K1. Thank you!
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