Funeral services for Edward Franklin “Frankie” Rinehart, 84, of Purcell were held Friday, March 1, 2024 at Union Hill Baptist Church, west of Purcell. Interment followed at the Hillside Cemetery in Purcell under the direction of the Wilson-Little Funeral Home in Purcell.
Mr. Rinehart passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, February 26, 2024.
Frankie was born on September 9, 1939, in Purcell, Okla. He was the fifth child of six children born to Jewel Cornelius Rinehart and Ora Mae Bittle. Frankie grew up in Purcell and graduated from Purcell High School with the class of 1957. Throughout his high school years, Frankie was a standout athlete, lettering all four years in four different sports including, football, basketball, baseball and track. After high school he attended Bacone Jr. College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, on a football scholarship.
On February 17, 1962 in Oklahoma City, Frankie married the love of his life, Mary Helen Selman of Purcell. They first made their home in Moore, Oklahoma, for eight years before moving back to Purcell in 1970. For 15 years, Frankie worked at the Downtown Air Park in Oklahoma City as a Foreman in the aircraft stripping and painting department. While there he worked on numerous famous celebrities’ airplanes and helicopters.
In 1975, Frankie took the job as the Purcell’s Parks and Golf Course Director. It was during this time he picked up the game of golf. Being such a tremendous athlete, Frankie taught himself how to play, and could he play. For 17 years he served as the Club Pro at Purcell Municipal Golf Course, only retiring to spend one year on the Seniors Series Pro Tour in 1993. Then from 1994 to 2002 he worked as the Head Pro at the Pauls Valley Municipal Golf Course.
For the next seven years, from 2002 to 2009, Frankie was the Tournament Chairman and played on the Heartland Players Seniors Tour. While he was playing, the tour continued, but after he retired the tour ceased to exist. For 25 years he was a member of the South-Central Section PGA, covering Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and North Texas. Over the years, Frankie won numerous tournaments across the country and was even a seven-time winner of his home town, Purcell Club Championship tournament.
While living and working in Purcell, Frankie was involved in student sports such as coaching his son’s seventh and eighth grade basketball team and coaching golf and giving private golf lessons. After retiring in 2009, Frankie enjoyed playing golf with friends, spending time with family and going to church at Union Hill Baptist Church where he had been a member since 1971. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, J.C. and Ora Mae Rinehart; two brothers, James Woodrow “Woody” Rinehart and Doyle Lee Rinehart; three sisters, Lucille Williams, Georgia Deskin and Wanda Minyard; son-in-law, Allen McKenna and step-grandson, Robbie McKenna.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Rinehart of the home in Purcell; four children, Pam McKenna of Purcell, Frank Rinehart and wife, Lisa, of Purcell, Lisa Romines and husband, Randy, of south Oklahoma City and Laura Thanscheidt and husband, Ross, of Moore; four grandchildren, Cody Rinehart of Purcell, Ash Pilcher and husband, Andy, of Albuquerque, N.M., Jessi McKenna of Purcell and Brittany Romines of Norman; 11 step-grandchildren, Billy Bingenheimer, Bobby Bingenheimer, Scotty McKenna, Steven Terrell, Tyson Terrell, Bradley Terrell, Jeffrey Terrell, Kalyn McMillan, J. J. Terrell, Lisa Thanscheidt and Laura Thanscheidt; 27 great-grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren also numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to OMRF in Oklahoma City or to the Purcell High School golf program.
Online condolences may be made at wilsonlittle.com.
