First Presbyterian Church
Kernersville • NC

 

Today we celebrate a member of this church that got into trouble in high school due to a wood shop class.  He married his high school sweet heart.  May 15, 1993, is a very important date in his life.  One of his family traditions is digging ramps in West Virginia.  (What's a ramp??)  Today we celebrate Richard (Rich) Andrew Tincher.

Rich was born January 8, 1971 to Richard Allen and Bernice Carol Tincher, in Ronceverte, West Virginia.  His parents met at a birthday party held at Rich's grandfather's home.  Rich's dad worked in a foundry supporting the auto industry.  He also worked in a rock quarry, and for the last ten years of his working career he was the custodian at Old Stone Presbyterian Church in Lewisburg, West Virginia.  He had nine siblings.  His mom was a country girl.  She has been cleaning houses for many years.  She had 12 siblings.  Needless to say, Rich has many aunts and uncles and lots of cousins.  Rich also has two sisters, Angela Rena (1973), and Jaime Carol (1976).  Rich's parents are respected by all in their community.  Even the doctor has called his mom for advice.  Shortly after Rich was born, the family moved to Pennsylvania.

One of Rich's memories of living in West Virginia was he always got more than he expected at Christmas.  They rented an old house and didn't have a lot of money.  Thanks to mom's financial skills, she shopped at all the stores where the best values were.  When it came time to get the Christmas tree, it had to be a real tree.  The first year they bought a cut tree.  After that, they began to always purchase balled trees, and after the holiday the tree would be planted on the hillside.  Grandpa lived on top of the hill and we lived over the hill.  That hill was great for sleigh-riding, but we needed to clear the path of wood.  All the kids would enjoy the ride!

Rich attended Fawn Grove Elementary School.  His favorite teacher was Miss Devilbiss.  He described her as being a warm lady.  Several years later Rich was visiting family, and ran into her.  Oh yes, she did remember “Little Ricky!”

During his junior high school years, Rich learned some valuable lessons.  He got his first BB gun.  After that he got a shot gun.  One day he and his friends went skeet shooting.  Skeet shooting is a sport in which marksmen use shotguns to shoot at clay devices call traps.  Out in an open field, the clay device was thrown into the air.  Rich shot his shot gun and "BANG."  Immediately, a loud voice yelled from afar.  No one hurt, but he learned to always check the area for others around.  Another incident that occurred in junior high school was the year he took a wood shop class.  He made a horse in class.  He carried it to his next class and shared it with Kristy Hinkle.  As she was looking at the horse, the teacher just happened to see it.  Immediately, Kristy pointed to Rich and said “it’s his.”  I'm sorry, I left out the best part.  He had made the horse anatomically correct!  Rich enjoyed his classes a lot.  The classes were small, 16-19 students, which enabled him to meet and get to know everybody.  He still keeps up with them through face book.

When Rich started Green Brier East High School, a big change occurred.  He changed his hairstyle.  After school pictures were made, he made the decision to change it back to his original hairstyle.  While in high school he joined VICA, Vocational Industrial Club of America.  This club was founded by students and teachers who were serious about their professions and saw the need for more training of leadership to complement their chosen vocation.  In his senior year, he was selected as the West Virginia State President of VICA.  Today it is known as SkillsUSA.  It serves more than 395,000 high school, college, middle school students and professional members enrolled in training programs in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations.  A couple of jobs Rich had while in high school were lawn care (cutting grass) and working with food and produce.  He graduated from high school in 1988.

He attended West Virginia Institute of Technology, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.  He was a member of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers).  ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges.  When he was a sophomore, he participated in the Rainbow (vacuums) competition for college students.  Winning was based on how many demos were done, and how many vacuums were sold.  Rich did several demos and sold five vacuums.  He won $1,700.

During his high school and college years he had been dating his high school sweetheart, Lori.  The plan was to get married after Rich graduated from college.  Lori kept asking what is the date of the graduation.  He told her it was the second Saturday in May.  She started making all the plans for the wedding to be on May 15, the third Saturday in May.  After all the wedding plans were made, Rich then learned the graduation was the same day!  So, he graduated that morning, and got married later the same day.

It was time for that first real job.  He sent out several resumes, and bought a new suit.  His first job was at Spectrum Controls in Greensboro.  He was a Technical Representative, building automation control heating and air conditioning (controlling the environment in buildings).  He worked there for one year.  He was then promoted to Diversified Control Systems working for the parent company.  He worked there for thirteen years.  August 2006 to the present he works at Envirotrol.  His title is Training and Technology Manager.  Job description is Tech support of most of the controls division, managing training budget, watching new technology coming down the pike, and involved in employee development electrical apprenticeship program.  Rich's hobbies are building things and working on small engines.

Rich and Lori have been married for twenty-eight years, and have three children, Adam (1994), Drew (1995), and Megan (1998).  Rich and Lori are also blessed with seven grandchildren, ranging in age from two to six.  An annual Tincher tradition is driving to West Virginia in the early spring and dig ramps.  What are ramps?  Ramps are wild plants that are among the first green things to pop out of the ground in the   spring, and while they are related to leaks and shallots, they are prized for their unique flavor more pungent than both of those.  They grow in bunches on steep hillsides.  Their season lasts less than three weeks.  The Tinchers like to cook them with eggs and bacon.  Fried potatoes, pinto beans and ramps also make a great meal. 

Rich was baptized in 1994 at Crestwood Presbyterian Church in High Point, North Carolina.  On December 5, 1996, the Tinchers joined First Presbyterian.  Rich was ordained and installed as an Elder on January 11, 2015.  He has served on the Building and Grounds Committee, and has been on eight church Mission Trips.

 

RICH IS MOST PROUD OF:

I LOVE SEEING MY CHILDREN LOVE THEIR CHILDREN

 

RICH'S WORDS OF WISDOM:

LIVE BENEATH YOUR MEANS AND LOVE BEYOND YOUR MEANS