Memorial Service: May 13, 2022, 11 am EDT

Please join us for a celebration of the life of Edward Brink, at a service on May 13, 2023, at

11 am, in the sanctuary at the Dennis Union Church, in Dennis, MA. A reception follows the

service.

For those who are far away, or cannot attend, the service will be available online at that

time, at duchurch.org. Scroll down the page, and click on the play button (wait until shortly

after the service starts at 11 am.)

Edward Brink, a remembrance

Edward F. Brink, 93, of Yarmouth Port, MA, passed away on April, 5, 2023, after a brief

illness, with his children and grandchildren at his side.

When asked about his life, Ed would always say that he was the luckiest person ever. We, his

children and grandchildren, consider ourselves to be the lucky ones. Ed was a true

gentleman, an incomparable teacher, an accomplished athlete, and an inspired gardener. He

was a committed spouse, a fabulous dad, and the kind of friend people long to have. From

the beginning, notes his younger brother John, one thing was true: Ed never had an unkind

word for anyone.

Edward Francis Brink was born in Avalon, PA, on April 16, 1929, to Maxwell David Brink

and Gretta (Cable) Brink. Ed was the seventh child, and second son, in a lively family of 6

girls and 4 boys. "Eddie", his mother once said, was never in trouble (his older sisters

guffawed at this statement.) She could only remember three stories about him. In the first,

he got his hand in the way of his brother's axe, resulting in a shortened finger. In the second,

he was in the way of buckshot when out hunting with his brothers; he had a single lead shot

in his head for the rest of his life. In the third, he bet a friend a hard-earned nickel from his

paper route that there was not a new younger brother at home—a bet he lost.

Ed was a hard worker, a quality gained from his father, who repainted and refinished cars.

Ed's job—which he called "some of the worst of my days at work"— was to sand lacquer

paint to a fine polish. While he did not relish the work, he did learn the value of paying

attention to details, and of "doing things right if you're going to do them at all."

But life was not all work: sports were Ed's passion. "I played every sport that was in season.

I learned many of the skills for football, basketball, and baseball on the 'Girard Avenue

Playing Field,'" in front of the family home. At Avalon High School, he played varsity

basketball and football. "The only injury I suffered was a greenstick fracture of the arm.

They took x-rays and put it in a cast, and I was still able to play because it was my left arm."

"My high school years were very special to me," he said. Perhaps the most important event

of these years was a sophomore year hayride with Beverly Beitel, whom he had known

since second grade. "It was my first and only date," he said. From then on, they were

inseparable. Bev even sang tenor in the school choir so she could sit next to him and help

him learn his music. They were both honored in their senior year with the Jack Brice

Memorial Award for Excellence in Athletics.

Success in athletics led Ed to Allegheny College, in Meadville, PA, where Edward "Curly"

Brink again excelled. His academic career took an important turn when he discovered that

chemical engineering was not for him. Ed completed undergraduate work in Education, and

began work at Allegheny on a masters in Education.

On December 15, 1951, Ed married his childhood sweetheart. After a weekend honeymoon

during a blizard in Cleveland, Ohio, Ed and Bev began a rich 70 years together.

Ed's studies were interrupted in 1951 by the draft. Bev's father, Ollie Beitel, had diligently

taught Ed morse code, and other communications skills, which landed Ed in the Army

Signal Corps. He was stationed at Elmendorff Air Force Base in the Alaska territory. Bev

joined him, and they took every opportunity to hike, fish for salmon, and explore the wild

country.

After the Army, Ed finished his Masters at Allegheny. His hallmark luck led him to Trenton

State College in New Jersey, where he worked for the next 35 years as a professor of Health

and Physical Education. With fellow coach, Mel Schmidt, he helped lead the soccer team to a

first-ever championship in 1964. His tennis teams frequently led the New Jersey

Conference. The same principles that guided his life were key to his teaching and coaching:

hard work, fairness, and teamwork. His approach paid off, not just in successful teams, but

as inspiration to a generation of K-12 "phys. ed." teachers.

Ed became an early advocate of creative, noncompetitive physical education. He realized

that not all kids were as comfortable playing competitive sports as he was. He watched

young children struggling with basketball drills, or being sidelined in dodge ball. "Children

learn to fail early on with their bodies," he'd say. Instead, he instructed, "hand the child a

ball and ask them what they can do with it. If all they can do is drop it, you start there.

Gradually you build more confidence and skills." With colleague Roger Rada, he co-authored

a guide for teachers of young children, "Experiences in Movement."

A highlight of his years at Trenton State was a sabbatical spent teaching at St. Martin's

College in Lancaster, England, in their fledgling physical education department. His

colleagues described visits to local elementary schools, where Ed would be surrounded by

young students drawn to his kind and encouraging demeanor. The sabbatical was also an

opportunity for Ed and Bev to indulge their love of travel in the British Isles and Europe.

While at Trenton State, Ed and Bev lived in Pennington, NJ, where they raised their three

children: Nancy, David, and Jonathan. Ed was an ideal Dad, always ready to coach a youth

soccer team, join a Boy Scout canoe trip, pull out fishing rods, or attend a father-daughter

square dance. He and Bev were active members of the Pennington Presbyterian Church,

volunteering and singing in the choir.

Ed and Bev became avid gardeners during these years, their backyard full of flowers, herbs,

fruit, and vegetables. Ed tended his gardens with his usual equanimity, kindness, and good

humor—though he could occasionally be seen chasing an offending woodchuck out of the

garden with a hatchet.

Ed retired from Trenton State in 1992 as a full professor. He was inducted into the college's

Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995. Retirement allowed Ed and Bev more travel; favorite trips

were to the Swiss Alps and a cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. Ed and Bev both held a

tremendous sense of wonder. While standing at Inspiration Point in Yosemite, looking out

at the stunning view, Ed had tears rolling down his cheeks. "It's as beautiful as Alaska," he

said.

In 1997, Ed and Bev moved to Cape Cod, shortly after their first grandchild, David Jr. (DJ)

arrived. This started Ed on a career of singing Michael Row the Boat Ashore to DJ, Scott,

Nick, Alexander, and Charlotte—often with endless repeats.

For 15 years Ed and Bev lived in Barnstable Village, where they fell in love with Millway

Beach and made the most of living near the water. Ed helped with oyster propagation in

Barnstable Harbor. He volunteered at the Wellfleet Massachusetts Audubon Reserve,

including on the Bluebird Nestbox Survey. He and Bev participated in Pilgrim Heights Hawk

Watch and Horseshoe Crab counts on Sandy Neck, and other local projects.

Ed and Bev joined Dennis Union Church, where Ed was a member of the annual auction

Tuesday morning pickup crew. Once again, he and Bev sang together in the choir and a

madrigal group. Ed also sang with the men's group, the Dennis Union Singers.

In 2010, Ed and Bev moved to Heatherwood in Yarmouth Port, where Ed enjoyed proximity

to a golf course. At 90, he was still able to best oldest son David in their rounds.

Ed will be perhaps best remembered for two things. First, his spectacular dahlias. Dahlias

require the close attention Ed brought to any endeavor, and his flowers brought

tremendous joy to his community. He started a number of people in growing dahlias, giving

them his carefully nurtured tubers.

Most important, Ed will be remembered for his dedication to his wife and best friend,

Beverly, who in her last years, developed Parkinson's disease. Bev proceeded him in passing

on December 10, 2021. Ed honored her by spending time with family and friends, attending

Dennis Union Church, and sharing his dahlias.

To honor Ed: in lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate in his name to an organization that

supports those in need. We support the Hands of Hope Food Pantry on Cape Cod; you can

designate a donation to the organization through Dennis Union Church.

And we invite you to share your stories of Ed on the Memory Wall on this site—it will be a

joy to hear from you.

In gratitude, from Ed's three children and their spouses:

Nancy Sue (and Steve) of Berkeley, CA,

David Oliver (and Kathy), of Quincy, MA

Jonathan Edward (and Angela) of Barnstable, MA

and his five very special grandchildren: David Jr. (Vancouver, Canada), Scott (Austin, TX),

Nicholas (Rochester, NY), and Alexander and Charlotte (Barnstable, MA).

Obituary lovingly written by the family of Ed Brink