Elmer F. "Sonny" Rinke

December 2, 1949 - November 22, 2021

Sonny (Elmer) Ferdinand Rinke, age 71, passed away on November 22, 2021. Sonny lived a life helping those around him, making and sharing all the best stories, dreaming of ways to make everything work better, and loving his family. He was born on December 2, 1949 to Speed (Elmer) and Lorraine Rinke. Sonny was raised in Utica, MI with a love for fishing, cars, and fixing anything broken. He served proudly in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) in the Vietnam war. After returning home, Sonny met the love of his life, Gail, and married on May 15, 1976. Sonny and Gail welcomed three children into the world, Dana, Alissa, and Jeffrey. The majority of his professional career was with the Experi-Metal sheet metal company in Sterling Heights, MI, helping connect customers with manufacturing solutions. Sonny enjoyed traveling to car shows across the country, meeting new people and sharing life stories, and learning about new technologies. He and his family were able to travel to many destinations throughout the country, but especially loved summer trips to Frankfort, MI to enjoy fishing, quiet sunsets, and family time. In his last years, Sonny enjoyed a retirement abuzz with project cars, aftermarket swap meets, and playing with his three grandchildren. Sonny is survived by his wife Gail, brother Leo (Nancy) Rinke, children Dana (Kevin) Secord, Alissa (Edward) Kay, Jeffrey (Sahra) Rinke, and grandchildren Anna, Angelina, and Lennon. A viewing service will take place at Wm. Sullivan and Sons Funeral home in Utica on Sunday, November 28, 2021 from 1:00 pm-8:00 pm. On Monday, November 29, 2021, he will be laid in state at 10:30 am at Trinity Lutheran Church in Utica, MI with a service following at 11:00 am and a luncheon to follow. Memorial contributions may be made with the Trinity Lutheran Foundation (www.trinityutica.com), FaithWorks (www.faithworksmichigan.org), an organization dedicated to assisting widows, single moms, veterans, elderly, the disabled and others in need, or Disabled American Veterans (DAV), P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250 dav.org/tribute View Livestream at https://youtu.be/ShzJ6thL9jE