"Love you always and forever "
In loving memory of
Dana Marie Rinka
December 17, 1964 - April 22, 2025
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Dana Marie Rinka, who left us peacefully at 10 p.m. on April 22nd, 2025, at the age of 60. Dana was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Margaret McArt and Allen Hentges on December 17th, 1964.
Later, her family moved to the Seattle area, where she was raised. In high school, Dana took up long-distance running on her school's cross-country team and remained fit her whole life. As an adult, she continued to prioritize her fitness, making regular visits to the gym to maintain her health. In 1994, she married John Rinka, with whom she raised her daughter and son.
Dana had a deep love for animals and developed a passion for observing bald eagles. She often watched live cams of the Decorah eagle nests in Iowa, and she later enjoyed following Jackie and Shadow, a beloved pair of eagles she watched via social media. Throughout her life, Dana embraced new adventures and was always driven to learn new skills. In her thirties, she discovered a passion for camping and dirt bike riding, and in her forties, she pursued a new challenge by earning her CDL and learning to drive a semi-truck. She also took up pistol shooting, which she greatly enjoyed.
In March of 2021, Dana was diagnosed with an aggressive, incurable form of breast cancer. Despite being given less than two years to live, Dana fought fiercely for four. True to the way she lived her entire life, she faced every day with determination, strength, and a quiet resilience that inspired everyone around her. Even as treatments failed and challenges mounted, Dana continued to work full-time, not because she had to, but because of her incredible work ethic and refusal to let her illness define her.
Those who knew Dana would describe her as one of the strongest and most resilient people they had ever met. Yet beneath her strength was a heart filled with kindness, compassion, and an unshakeable goodness. These were her most defining traits. She embodied the spirit of selflessness, always placing other people's needs ahead of her own. Dana truly lived by the golden rule: to treat others as you would like to be treated.
Dana lived her life with courage, curiosity, and an open heart. She leaves behind a legacy of tenacity, kindness, and resilience that will continue to inspire all who knew and loved her. She is survived by her loving husband, John; her daughter, Jessica; her son, Jacob; her brother, Allen Hentges Jr; and her stepfather, Jerry Cox.
She will be deeply missed and forever remembered. Services are pending.