Mrs. Shirley J. (Merkel) Hinkle

Mrs. Shirley J. (Merkel) Hinkle, 88, of Sinking Spring, passed away, surrounded by her loving family, on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 at Reading Hospital, West Reading, PA.

Born December 27, 1936 in Pottstown, Shirley was the daughter of the late Thomas and Pauline (Slody) Merkel. Shirley's husband of 38 years, Earl K. Hinkle, passed away on February 18, 1994.

Shirley attended Pottsgrove School District and graduated from Pottstown High School. She went on to own and operate The Slack Shack, Pottstown, for 30 years. She truly enjoyed dancing and belonged to several dance clubs. She loved traveling, playing cards, and most of all, spending time with her family, and especially, her grandchildren.

Shirley is survived by her two sons, Thomas A. Hinkle, husband of Deborah (Anderson) Hinkle, Lebanon, PA, and Terry A. Hinkle, husband of Terry A. (Lulewitz) Hinkle, Bernville, her daughter-in-law, Christine (Dennis) Hinkle, widow of Troy A. Hinkle, Fleetwood, her grandchildren, Drew and his wife, Samnang, Justin and his companion, Kim, Laura and her husband, Mahdi, Andrea, Matt, Ryan and his wife, Sara, and Tyler and his wife, Anjuli. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Aiyana, Devin, Levi, Emma, Faith, Xavier, Alaric, Dylan and Sadie.

Along with her parents and her husband, Earl, Shirley was preceded in death by her son, Troy A. Hinkle, her grandson, Ian Hinkle, and her brother, Thomas Merkel.

Services for Shirley will be held privately by her family. Burial will take place alongside her husband, Earl, at St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery, Lobachsville.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Shirley's memory to the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692, or to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.

Walbert Funeral Home & Crematory, Fleetwood, is honored to be caring for Shirley and her family. Messages of comfort and sympathy can be offered to Shirley's family at www.WalbertFuneralHome.com.