Deborah Brinkley

Mrs. Deborah Brinkley, 100, Johnson City, passed away Sunday, February 7, 2010 in the Johnson City Medical Center Hospital. The youngest of eleven children, she was born in Fairfield County, South Carolina near Columbia. She was the daughter of the late John and Ruth Spinks. Mrs. Brinkley attended school in Rock Hill, South Carolina. After her mother died the family moved to Western North Carolina. There she attended Weaver College for one year, then married Alexander Brinkley who worked at Tennessee Eastman Company in Kingsport. Mrs. Brinkley worked a number of years as office manager for Sears in Johnson City. She attended First United Methodist Church and served as President of United Methodist Women, President of the Johnson City District U.M. Women, and was a delegate to the Womens General Conference in 1966 in Portland, Oregon. After her husbands death in 1986, she remained in Johnson City until 1991 then moved to Florida to be near her daughter. She returned to Johnson City in 2006. Mrs. Brinkley spent forty years in volunteer service in hospitals. Throughout her life until handicapped by blindness, she enjoyed reading, sewing, and visiting people. Survivors include: one son, Rudolph Brinkley and his wife Julia of Bristol; one daughter, Patsy Hobbs and her husband Bobby of Largo, Florida; five grandchildren; fifteen great grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren. The funeral service for Mrs. Deborah Brinkley will be conducted at 1 PM Wednesday, February 10, 2010 in the Morris-Baker South Chapel. Rev. Garland Thayer will officiate. The graveside committal service will follow in the Monte Vista Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be selected from family and friends. The family will receive friends in the funeral chapel from 12 noon to 1 PM prior to the service.