Mary Patricia "Pat" Brinker

Pat was born on March 17, 1940 in Doylestown, PA. She earned a B.A. in English from Gettysburg College, laying the foundation for a lifelong career in education (with a pause in the middle to raise her family).

Pat’s passion for teaching and desire for adventure led her overseas where she spent two years in each of Japan and Germany. Pat’s experiences abroad shaped her worldview and engendered her sense of self-reliance.

It was in Germany where she met her husband, Charles “Chuck” Brinker, a fellow teacher with the Department of Defense Oversea’s Program. After marrying in 1972 and settling in Riverside, CA, Pat dedicated the next almost 30 years to teaching and her family. She approached her teaching with compassion, fairness, and a deep belief in the potential of every student. When her daughters were young, Pat made the decision to stay home and raise them, soon becoming a very-involved “PTA mom.” Pat later returned to teaching after earning a Master’s degree in Special Education, and ended her career just as it began in California by leading a high school teen mom program.

In retirement, Pat remained active and engaged in her community through the Assistance League of Riverside. She served on multiple committees and chaired the thrift store, bringing the same organization and enthusiasm that had long defined her legendary garage sales and balanced perfectly with her appreciation for a good deal.

Pat will be especially remembered for her deep love of sports, most of all baseball and her beloved Los Angeles Angels. For many years, she held season tickets and rarely missed a game. In more recent years, she faithfully watched every Angels game on television and recorded them if she had to be away.

Pat is survived by three daughters, Shelly Heyduk, Karen Potter, and Kristen Hildebrand; sons-in-law, Matt Potter and Jon Hildebrand; and three grandchildren, Nicholas Hildebrand, Kaitlyn Hildebrand, and Owen Heyduk. She is also survived by her extended Moyer family in Doylestown, Pennsylvania and beyond. Pat’s beloved Willie and Sammy, two of the many dogs that brought her great comfort and companionship throughout her life, also survive her in death.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband Chuck, who passed away in 2020 after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. Throughout those difficult years, Pat was his steadfast and devoted partner and caregiver.

A memorial service will be held in Pat’s honor on April 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Acheson & Graham Garden of Prayer Mortuary in Riverside.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Assistance League of Riverside, or to the Charles “Chuck” Brinker Scholarship Fund (https://inlandempire.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list), which Pat established in 2024 in her beloved husband’s honor to provide college scholarships to Riverside high school students.

Pat’s legacy lives on in the family she raised, the students she guided, and the many lives she touched with her kindness, strength, quiet generosity, and storytelling.