Mary Elizabeth ‘Tootie’ Parnell Rink, 74, of Edwardsburg passed to her rest Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 while a patient at Lakeland Medical Center, Niles, with her son, George, by her side.  Mary had been a patient at Riveridge in Niles for a few months.

Tootie was born Dec. 23, 1935 in Alexandria, Ind., the daughter of Everett and Esther (English) Parnell. She grew up in the Pentwater, Mich. area and graduated from Pentwater High School. She was a cook and waitress for area restaurants in the Edwardsburg area, including when she worked for her mother at the former Esther’s Cafe in Edwardsburg.

She married George R. Gibbs, Sr. in 1958, and that ended in divorce. She then married Johnie Richard Rink in 1966, and he passed in 1978.  Surviving is a son, George R. Gibbs Jr. of Edwardsburg, a stepson,, George Rink of Elkhart and a stepdaughter, Penny Ritchie of Niles. There is one brother, Raymond (Jean) Parnell of Berkley, Mich. and a sister, Arlene (Ralph) Cole of Paris, Mich. There are two sisters, deceased, Emma Jane Mataya and Doris Parnell.

Cremation will take place. There will be no services locally. Cremation burial will take place in the spring of 2010 at North Weare Cemetery, near Pentwater, Mich.

Arrangements are by Paul E. Mayhew Funeral Home, Edwardsburg.