It is with deep heartache that we honor the life of a wife, mother, sister, Oma, best friend, confidant, safe harbor and welcoming arms. Maria "Ria" Johanna Hubertina (Heffels) Trinkle, 73, of Bedford Hills, NY, passed away from a stroke on September 26, 2026, at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY.
Born February 13, 1953, in Susteren, the Netherlands, Ria was one of seven children of Frans and Elizabeth "Lisa" Heffels. She grew up in a modest, loving home and later wrote, "we were not rich, we didn't starve, and we were loved."
Ria and Mike Trinkle were brought together by their siblings, and the letters they wrote across an ocean were endless. In January 1973, Mike visited Ria for the first time and “it was love at first sight.” A few months later, at age 20, with only a suitcase of clothes, she took her very first flight to join him in New York, and they married on June 30, 1973. Fluent in four languages, she spent 33 years with General Foods, Kraft, and Philip Morris before retiring in 2008. In 2004, she proudly became a U.S. citizen, earning the right to vote while keeping her Dutch citizenship. As she wrote, "For a very young girl moving far away from her big family, I think I have done very well."
Ria was born the year of the great Dutch flood to parents who had lived through the war, and she faced more than her share of hardship, including the loss of two children. Through it all she stayed hopeful, often saying, "This too will pass," and "The best is yet to come."
The births of her children and grandchildren were among the happiest days of her life. She tossed Mike's pocket change on the sidewalk for her grandkids to find, snuck them Kinder eggs, and made sure there was a chocolate Advent calendar for everyone every year. She made every occasion special and taught us to embrace everything life has to offer.
Mom had a gift of stretching her heart to fit everyone she met. All of us lucky enough to know that warmth carry her unending positivity and the strength to find light in even the darkest places. Passing that to her grandkids and all of you is among her greatest legacies.
Her last days were filled with conversations with her family, phone calls to loved ones and hope for the future. She reflected often on a good life well lived and delighted in the happiness of the people who meant the most to her.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Mike; her sons Steven (Jenn) and Alan (Sarah); her grandchildren Addy, Hannah and Henry; her sisters Trees, Annie and Gemma; her brothers Jo and Frans; and many relatives and friends in the United States and the Netherlands. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Ton, and her children Elizabeth and Daniel.
A celebration of her life will be held when the weather is warmer and our hearts have begun to heal. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Shriners Children’s or the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Or, the next time you're at the store, pick up some tulips and put them in a glass of water with a penny. And every time you walk by, think of something that brings you joy.
