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Ernest R. Brinkman was born April 3, 1918 at Syracuse, Nebraska to August and Clara (Eliza) Karo Brinkman. He died April 18, 2015 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Ernie, known to some as "Brink", served in the China-Burma-India Theater with the quartermaster corps. Prior to shipping overseas, Ernie married Beth McKee of Gregory, South Dakota on May 27, 1942. To this union was born one son, David John.

Ernie was a life insurance agent for Bankers Life and Principal Life for 49 years. He counted co-workers and clients as family. He and Beth traveled extensively with Principal Group.

In 2014, American Legion Farley Tushla Post 86 in Atkinson, Nebraska recognized his 60-year membership. He was a 50-year member of Masonic Lodge 164 of Atkinson and a past Worshipful Master.

Avid Cornhusker fans, Ernie and Beth traveled every football weekend to Lincoln for the games. Ernie held season tickets for 51 years, beginning with the construction of the south stadium. Beth died in 2000.

Over a lifetime of golfing, Ernie claimed two holes-in-one. One was at Atkinson when the golf course was located where the airport not stands. The second was at Sun Village in Surprise, Arizona when he was 83 years of age.

In September of 2001, Bonnie Udey and Ernie were married in Lincoln, Nebraska. Each year they spent six months during the winter at Sun Village in Surprise, AZ, and six months back home in Atkinson. In 2011 they moved to Legacy Estates independent living facility in Lincoln. They attended Sheridan Lutheran while in Lincoln.

Left to honor his memory are son David and his wife, Mary, of Laramie, WY; two grandsons, Ross Brinkman of Hastings and Matt Brinkman of Lincoln; Matt's wife, Jennifer, and their children, Katherine and Daniel; niece Kathy Holmgren, and nephews, Kurt and Richard Brinkman; step-children, Diana Weber of Lawrence, KS, Scott Udey and wife Willa of Topeka, KS, Ross Udey and wife Susan of Blair, NE and Douglas Udey and Candace of St. Paul, MN; six step-grandchildren and eleven step-great-grandchildren.

Ernie was preceded in death by his parents, August and Eliza, wife, Beth, and brother, Arthur Brinkman.

In Loving Memory of Ernest R. Brinkman

April 3, 1918 ~ April 18, 2015

Funeral Service 10:30am April 23, 2015 St. John's Lutheran Church, Atkinson, Nebraska. Officiating: Pastor John Brink. Music: Organist: Sharie Flannery; Pianist: David Brinkman; Soloist: Jennifer Brinkman

Casket Bearers: Larry Poessnecker, Ed Siebert, Jack Flannery, Clark Gotschall, Mike Rentschler, Leon Rentschler

Interment: Woodlawn Cemetery, Atkinson, Nebraska

~~~obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~

FindaGrave #148547379