Lois Lorraine Brinks

Lois, 91, an over 50 year resident of Santa Clara passed away at her home last Wednesday. She was born in San Jose, CA the daughter of Stanley and Cornelia Steinhart. She attended Santa Clara High School and Junior College in Oakland. Her husband, Kenneth Brinks, taught and was Dean of Students at Buchser High School for 35 years in which Lois was very involved. Lois was Secretary for 25 years at Slater Elementary school in Mountain View and member for over 50 years of her church, actively involved in youth ministry and missions. She was a devoted mother and grandmother of 4 generations; she dearly loved being with her grandchildren and remembered all of their birthdays with cards. She loved her cat Lizzy. She was a fitness nut keeping herself in excellent shape, walked around the block almost every day for her last 40 years, went to the local YMCA multiple times a week even into her 80s, was the YMCA weight lifting champion of persons in their 80s. Her doctors were continually amazed at her fitness having the body of a person 20 years younger.

Lois loved the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Clara – its people, ministries, participated in prison ministries, and a weekly bible study for many years. She enjoyed serving and meeting other’s needs; if there was a need she could fulfill, she was there. In addition to the gift of serving, she had the gift of hospitality – loved people and entertaining. She loved working in her yard with flowers and plants even up to two days before she passed; enjoyed talking with her 3 sons on the phone; looked forward to being again with the love of her life, her husband, Kenneth who died 19 years earlier, loved dancing (square, swing, big band era), and “brought down the house” at her granddaughter’s wedding by dancing vigorously at age 86. She volunteered at the local library. She loved traveling in an Airstream trailer with family on trips with the Hinkles and Wilsons of Santa Rosa all around the US, Mexico, and Alaska as well as camping in Yosemite National Park. She and Ken once took 30 high schoolers to Europe; her last major trip was to Australia. Her last travel was to visit her son in Tucson, AZ when 90 years old. She and her late husband, Ken, built a cabin at Lake Almanor, CA in 1973 and loved vacationing with family “up at the lake” for 20 years. She loved occasions to be with family attending her sister Alberta Volz’s family reunions for over 25 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth C. Brinks in 1993. Survived by sons James Michael Brinks, Michael Kenneth Brinks, Thomas Stanley Brinks; daughters-in-law Karen Brinks, Sandy Brinks. Grandchildren Gayle Caruso, Patty Brinks, Tom Brinks, Ken and wife Melissa Brinks, Anna and husband Marc Sandin, and Jessye Brinks. Great grandchildren Stephen Mattson, Kevin Tucker, Teddy Joe White Jr., Anthony Brinks, Dominic Brinks, Gavin Brinks, Ethan Brinks, and Kaelyn Sandin. Great great grandchildren Angela Mattson, Annalyse Mattson, and Honey Mattson.

Friends are invited to the Memorial Celebration Service at 2 pm Saturday, June 2nd at Lima Family Santa Clara Mortuary, 466 N. Winchester Blvd., Santa Clara, CA. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent in the name of Lois Brinks to the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Clara (2499 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95050) Mission’s Fund which was a favorite of hers. In her long life she touched the lives of many people and was loved and admired by all.