Ervin Rinas, 82, of Egeland, ND, passed away on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at Baltimore St. Care Home in Mesa, AZ. Services will be held on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 11:00 am at Cando Lutheran Church of Cando, ND. Visitation will be held at the Dunnigan-Dix Funeral Home on Thursday, January 26, 2012 from 2:00 to 8:00 with a prayer service at 7:00 pm. Visitation on Friday will be at the church one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the spring at the Union Cemetery, Egeland, ND.

Ervin Rinas was born June 29, 1929 in Cando Township, ND, the son of Eduard and Olga (Simon) Rinas. His mother passed when he was young, and he was raised by his father and step-mother Lula Thompson. He lived on a farm south of Crocus and attended elementary school at Crocus #2. In 1941, he moved to a farm southeast of Egeland and graduated from Egeland High School in 1947.  Ervin married Zelda Schafer at Calvin, ND. The couple farmed and owned and operated the Olmstead Storage & Grain. They moved to Egeland in 1975 and continued farming. They spent twenty-one winters in Arizona. He was a pilot and enjoyed small planes and ultra lights, golfing, water skiing and being on the water.

He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church Council, Egeland Rural Fire Department and Victor Township Board.

Ervin is survived by his wife: Zelda Rinas of Egeland, ND; sons: Paul (Jeannine) Rinas of Bakersfield, CA, Ron (Jeannell) Rinas of Owasso, OK, Ross (Christina) Rinas of Rigby, ID; daughters: Lynnette (Steve) Berg of Agate, ND, Renae (Kelly) Westby of Cando, ND, Joleen Rinas of Aurora, CO; brother: Arno Rinas of Salina, KS; sisters: Edith Nabity of Omaha, NE, Ruth (Dick) Smith of University Place, WA; fifteen grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents, step-mother, brother-in-law Frank Nabity, niece Robin Smith and nephew Mark Rinas.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the Union Cemetery in Egeland, ND.