Vivian L. (Maechtlen) Rink

Vivian L. (Maechtlen) Rink, age 94, ret. Learjet Data Analyst, passed away Monday, January 3, 2022.

Visitation: Sunday, January, 9th, 2-4 pm at Ridgepoint Church, Wichita.

Burial: Monday, January 10th, 9:30am, at Maize Park Cemetery.

Services, Monday, 11am, at Ridgepoint Church.

Vivian Louise Rink was born on August 7, 1927, to Herman and Adelene Maechtlen and grew up on the Maechtlen homestead just north of Clearwater, Kansas. She was the second of four children and attended school in a rural one room schoolhouse called Richmond Hill. Upon the closing of the school, she attended Clearwater High School, where as a senior in 1946 she met and dated her future husband, Leo “Marvin” Rink. 

Following graduation, Vivian and her older sister Ruth lived together and worked in Wichita, Kansas, for approximately two years. On February 22, 1948, Marvin and Vivian were married and moved to a dairy farm near Cheney, Kansas, to begin their family with the birth of their sons Larry and Curtis. In 1950, they moved back to the family farm at 29th and Maize Road in Maize, Kansas, and continued to farm and dairy. There, they welcomed two more children into their family, Scott and Dalene.  

Vivian began her formal working life at Boeing, and while working she also balanced farm life—particularly bottling milk which they sold at the farm, and for which they were well known. As years passed, she transitioned to working at Gates Learjet as a Data Analyst where she worked for 27 years before retiring twice. Following retirement Vivian was able to devote more time to her love for serving and supporting others through volunteer work.

In 1993, Marvin and Vivian began spending part of their winters in Tucson, Arizona, and continued to do so for nearly 20 years. During this time, they enjoyed socializing and performing volunteer work and always returned to Kansas rested and rejuvenated to begin the new year!

After retirement, Marvin and Vivian traveled together enjoying bus tours all over the United States, as well as international travel particularly to Russia as well as a very memorable cruise to Alaska where they took in all the beauty it has to offer, alongside their family including children, and grandchildren. 

Vivian and Marvin were long time members of the former First Mennonite Brethren Church in Wichita, Kansas (now Ridgepoint Church).  She was active in many organizations throughout the church and grew her love and passion for volunteer work, most recently giving her time sorting clothes at Lighthouse Community Church. 

Vivian was a committed mother, grandmother, friend and Christian always taking time for each individual and building strong relationship with all. She was the model example of what it meant to be a mother and grandmother and has influenced the lives of so many both near and far. While Vivian remained active in her later years, the loss of her husband Marvin in 2014 left an enormous void. Her family grieves her loss, but also takes great comfort knowing that Marvin and Vivian are together again. 

Vivian is preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Adelene (Smith) Maechtlen; sisters Ruth Hackerott Marlett, and Norma Bonham. Survivors: children, Larry (Sherry) Rink of Overland Park, Curtis (Karen) Rink of Goddard, Scott (Julie) Rink of Portugal, Dalene Barton (Jim Johnson) of Wichita; brother, Kenneth (Marilyn) Maechtlen of Clearwater; 9 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. 

Memorial: Ridge Point Church 8000 W. 21st St. N. Wichita, KS 67205. 

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