Mary A. Brinker, 86, St. Cloud

August 17, 1935 - November 21, 2021

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 12:00 PM on Friday, November 26, 2021, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud, MN, for Mary A. Brinker, age 86 of St. Cloud who passed away on November 21 at the St. Cloud Hospital. Rev. Bob Harren will officiate. Visitation will be from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM at the church on Friday prior to the service. Burial will follow at the Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud.

Mary Alice Schmitt was born on August 17, 1935, to Leo and Margaret (Doubeck) Schmitt in Luxemburg. She was married to Richard “Dick” Brinker on September 19, 1955 in St. Joseph, and together they raised their family of five children. Mary was a homemaker and enjoyed ballroom dancing and going to polkas with Dick. They also enjoyed playing softball together for many years. Mary had a competitive spirit and she liked playing games at the casino, playing bingo, bowling, and beating her family at card games. She was also an avid quilter, and created the $1,000 quilt in the women’s quilting bingo group at church. She was a dedicated member of the St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and quilters group, St. Jude’s Mission Group, Christian Mothers, and the Waite Park Legion. Above all else, Mary loved getting family and friends together for any celebration to enjoy their company and share her cooking and baking. She will be dearly missed as a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend to all who knew her.

Mary is survived by her husband, Dick; children, Chuck (Cindy) Brinker of Cold Spring, Denice Borgen of St. Cloud, Mike (Chris) Brinker of Rice, and Jean (Dan) Eich of St. Joseph; son-in-law, Ray Sobania of St. Cloud; 12 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; siblings, Irene Rennie, Robert (Mary) Schmitt, Dennis (Alice) Schmitt, Emma Dullinger, Carol Rodekuhr, and Margie (Dennis) Heimerl.

She is preceeded in death by her parents; daughter, Barb Sobania; son-in-law, Chuck Borgen; siblings, Alvin, Richard, Esther, Henry, Elmer, and Martha; and brother-in-laws, Norbert Rennie, Tony Dullinger, and Terry Rodekuhr.