John "Smokey" Rink

John "Smokey" Rink, 85, of Lincoln, passed away on January 4, 2026 at his home with his family. He was born in 1940, to William and Frances (Doyle) Rink in Dixon, IL. John served in the US Navy for 4 years. He married Arlene Hill on January 22, 1966, at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church in Dixon, IL. He retired after 30 years of employment from Centel/Sprint Corporation. After retiring, he developed and managed industrial buildings for 31 years. Additionally, he enjoyed antagonizing beloved Husker friends and family, while also generously providing patrons of local casinos with the opportunity to win the money that he dutifully deposited at his favorite slot machines.

Survivors include his sons, John E. Rink of Lincoln, Paul (Lisa) Rink of Manassas, VA; daughter, Jeanie (Darren) Spriggs of Houston, TX; sister, Mary Elliott of Dixon, IL; brother, Richard (Gerry) Rink of Elburn, IL; several nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his beloved wife of 50 years, Arlene; brother, William E. Rink, Jr and several in-laws.

Visitation will be Wednesday, January 7, 2026 12-7pm Family Present 5-7pm all at Butherus Maser & Love Funeral Home, 4040 A Street, Lincoln. Followed by a Rosary at 7pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, January 8, 2026 at North American Martyrs Catholic Church1101 Isaac Drive, Lincoln, NE at 10:30am.

Memorials to North American Martyrs Catholic School.

As a courtesy to the family, we will be attempting to live stream the services in Lincoln at: https://www.facebook.com/BMLFuneralStreaming/live it is not necessary to have a Facebook account to view the stream. Facebook's new policy will remove the video 30 days after posting. With technology being unpredictable, we cannot guarantee the quality of the streaming. Also, if there is recorded music during the service, Facebook may mute the audio during those times. Thank you for your patience in advance, Butherus, Maser & Love.

Burial will be on Saturday January 10th 11:00 AM at Oakwood Cemetery in Dixon, IL. Family will receive friends and family from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at the Jones Funeral Home in Dixon, IL.