Merlin "Mike" Robert Tinkham

Merlin “Mike” Tinkham died at 1:45 a.m. on May the 22nd of complications with his heart. He was born on December 14, 1949 in Dubuque, Iowa to Betty and Merlin “Scoop” Tinkham. Mike married Cynthia M. Duke on September 24th 1985.

Mike was employed by John Deere at the plant in Waterloo, Iowa for thirty-two years. He was an avid hunter and especially loved to hunt Whitetail deer on his farm in Bloomfield, Iowa. He also enjoyed three hunting trips to Africa with Cindy, family, and friends. He was a talented softball player and later managed Vigortone Feeds located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mike and Cindy have been long term members at Mark Baptist Church in Bloomfield, Iowa since 2006. Mike and Cindy purchased three farms in Bloomfield and moved here from Janesville, Iowa in 2005. They have made many amazing friends here in the Bloomfield area.

Surviving Mike are his wife, Cindy; daughter, Tiffany and four grandchildren; sister, Susan of East Dubuque, Illinois; brother, Robert and his wife LaVonne; another brother, Mark Tinkham; mother-in-law, Jean and husband Verlyn Kraus; father-in-law, Don and wife Shirley Duke; sister-in-law, Laura Duke; sister-in-law, Wendy and Chuck Erikson; nieces and nephews, Josh Tinkham and family, Sara and husband Bill Kirk and family, Megan Gaines and family, Jennifer Grinage and husband Clint, Robert Grinage and family, Steven and wife Katy Grinage and family, Brittany Bier and husband Dakota Leair and family, Courtney and husband Blake Paul and family, Faith and Emma Erickson; and many family and friends.

Mike was preceded in death by his father, Merlin S. Tinkham; mother Betty J. Tinkham; daughter, Traci Lynn Tinkham; and son-in-law Dale Macke.

Mike’s memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at the Mark Baptist Church in Davis County, Iowa with Pastor Gary Axtell officiating. Military rites performed by Reed-Whisler Post #78 of the American Legion will be performed at the church following the service. Visitation with family present to greet friends will be from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday at the church. The Merlin R. Tinkham Memorial fund has been established in care of Cindy Tinkham, 14955 293rd Street, Bloomfield, Iowa 52537. Use of those funds will be determined at a later date.