TULSA, Okla. — The former Mayor of Jenks, Mike Tinker, will be laid to rest on Monday.
His funeral will be held at St. Bernard of Clairvaux parish in Tulsa at 2 p.m.
Tinker's loved ones are remembering their dear friend.
"Mike was just a wonderful guy, smart guy, funny, kind," said Robert Lee, the mayor of Jenks.
Tinker, 67, passed away on November 19 after losing an ongoing battle with cancer.
"I am going to miss him. I'm reminded though by the Holy Spirit he is much more in my future than he ever was in my past," said Mike Burdge, the former mayor of Sand Springs.
Burdge described his friend as intelligent, brilliant and a "fantastic individual that was always giving."
Tinker played a key role in many developments in the City of Jenks where he started as a council member in 1989, then served as vice mayor, mayor and assistant city manager.
"Whatever it is you like about Jenks, there is a good chance Mike Tinker played a role in it: the Oklahoma Aquarium, Riverwalk. He played a big role in bringing us the Creek Turnpike, Simon Premium Outlets," said Lee.
His latest role was in Sand Springs as assistant city manager.
"He invigorated our team. He was so excited to be part of the Sand Springs community," said Elizabeth Gray, the city manager.
Friends and colleagues are remembering Tinker for being more than a community leader.
"He was just one of those people when he walked into a room, the room lit up. You knew something funny was about to happen," said Gray.
They agree his sense of humor was one of his best character traits.
"He could disarm a situation with his humor. Mike would say something, and it would break the tension," said Burdge.
Tinker leaves behind his wife, two children and several grandchildren.
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