Maria Tinkham

Maria Tinkham, age 97, a resident of Gary, Indiana (Black Oak) since 1950, passed away on March 7, 2026. She was born in Puebla, Mexico, to Gustavo and Maria Rascon.

She was a graduate with a Bachelor degree in early education from Purdue University Calumet, also a beautician and a small business owner. Maria was an avid collector of crystals, a devoted bird watcher, and a passionate environmentalist. She had a deep love for books and philosophy and enjoyed listening to the music of the Three Tenors. As the matriarch of her family, she was a loving and devoted grandmother and great-grandmother. Known for her wit and vibrant spirit, Maria embraced life fully- finding joy in travel, history and her Mexican heritage, bible studies, late night comedians, cheering on the 1990's Chicago Bulls, taking walks in nature, and staying active well into her 90's, as a regular at Purdue University Calumet Gym.

Maria's life was defined by the deep roots of her family and the generations of love she leaves behind. She has been reunited with her late husband, Charles B. Tinkham; her sons, Joseph and Samuel Bernal; and her granddaughter, April Bernal.

Maria's legacy lives on through her seven children; Gloria Shaver, Mark Anton Bernal, Oscar Bernal, Irma (Gustavo) Maldonado, Patricia B. Figueroa, Rene Alexander (Mary) and Veronica (Manuel) Sanchez; she was the proud grandmother to twenty-nine grandchildren; Samuel Bernal, Oscar Bernal, Allan Bernal, Yolanda Bernal, Annette Santamaria, Michelle Andrade, Crystal Diane Watson, Maria Elena Pimental, Mark Bernal, Sean Bernal, Charles Bernal, Sabrina Bernal, Pablo Maldonado, Arrieana Postell, Paloma Mosqueda, Gustavo Maldonado, Sylvia LaBoy, Carlos P. Bernal, Elia Hoekstra, Cody Kleutsch, Aaron Bernal, Christian Bernal, Elena Bernal, Felicia Nelson, Seth Nelson, Matthew Nelson, Natasha Nelson, and Sophia Nelson. Her love extended further to numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, as well as her beloved nieces and nephews; Lisa (Rick) Bursey, Valerie (Mark) Messer, Jesus Del Hierro, Lupe Del Hierro-Trujillo, Arturo Del Hierro, Melva Del Hierro, and Irma Del Hierro. 

To honor Maria's wishes, services will be private. A public inurnment will be held March 27, 2026, 11:00 a.m. from Ridgelawn Cemetery 4401 West Ridge Road Gary, Indiana 46408.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Maria Tinkham, please visit our floral store.