Mary Katherine Hinkle was delivered peacefully into the hands of God June 14, 2023.  
She began her journey on this earth Jan. 28, 1941, to Philip and Chestine Howard in Corpus Christi. Mary was one of the four Howard children.
On May 30, 1960, in Midland, Mary married her childhood sweetheart Tommy Lee Hinkle. They began their married life in Aurora, Mo., but returned to Irving for the family life.  
Tom and ‘Tootsie’ enjoyed cards with the neighbors, camping, skiing and of course fishing at Grapevine Lake. 
Mary and Tom soon discovered Cedar Creek Lake at its groundbreaking. Mary fell in love with all the trees, the vast nature of the lake and Mabank. They purchased a ‘weekend’ lot at the lake and built a small weekend house. Weekends soon were not enough for them and they moved the family into the lakehouse permanently in 1976.  
Tootsie and Tom made many lifelong friends as they continued their lives in Mabank. They so enjoyed being on the lake skiing but especially fishing with family and friends. 
Tom always teased that Tootsie could ‘…catch a fish before he could start the boat…’  Mary loved to fish and she always had a freezer stocked with her catch and popsicles for Paul, Wendy and their friends. Card games and weekly dinners with friends were constant in the Hinkle routine.
Nanny was a big fan of her grandkids and as it turns out, a big fan of soccer too. You could find her in the stands for almost every soccer game yelling ‘…get that ball…’ with great gusto that made everyone around chuckle. She bundled up in the cold games, fanned herself in the hots ones and enjoyed traveling to all the nearby cities to watch her granddaughters play.  
After 19 years of professional support, she considered herself quite the ‘Soccer-Nanny’ expert. 
Maysi, Makenli and MoBe will miss their Walmart trips that wouldn’t be complete without fried chicken at Cochran’s, the funny stories, tattling on their dad or just catching up on the week’s events.  
Then there was the hunt for her shopping car!  Nanny would never turn down a chance to join us for an “ala carte taco” with jalapenos on the side and extra hot sauce. They will certainly miss her cherry cheesecakes that would just magically appear in our fridge.
Mary and Tom both were dedicated members of First Baptist Church of Mabank serving in many capacities throughout their 47 years. Mary loved to sing in the choir, attend Sunday school and help with church dinners and later in life becoming a part of the Widows Group.  
Mary strived to stay involved in church activities even after Tom passed and with the help of a strong group of friends, they thankfully chauffeured ‘Mrs. Mary’ to-and-fro and she was able to remain active in her church home.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brother Howard Howard and sister Mart Howard. 
She is survived by an enduring host of friends and family including daughter Wendy and husband Travis Buster along with their grown children Ashley Olles and her children Joel and Rachel, Amanda and husband Ethan O’Brien and their children Rebecca and Ben, Austin Buster and his children Kaden, Avery and Presley and Abe Buster, son Paul and wife Nicoli Hinkle and their daughters Maysi, Makenli and Montgmori, brother Michael Howard and his family.
And a large group of friends that were as close as family. You filled a large place in her heart and you all know who you are. We thank you for your never-ending support and love.
Please join us for a Celebration of Life from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 1, 2023 at First Baptist Church of Mabank. 
In lieu of flowers, donation made to First Baptist Church of Mabank in honor of Mary Hinkle.
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ~II Corinthians 5:17