Shirley Mae Brinkmann

Shirley M. Brinkmann, 77, passed away peacefully with her family at her bedside at Racine Hospice Alliance House on Tuesday, November 19, 2013. She was born in Racine on May 13, 1936, the first daughter of Emil and Lydia (Makovsky) Clark. She attended Burbank school and graduated from William Horlick High School. She belonged to Burbank 4-H Club, Job’s Daughters, and a Sokol, a Bohemian calisthenics organization. She liked tap dancing, baton twirling, singing, playing the alto saxophone and organ and acting in Racine Summer Theatre productions. She was a member of First Baptist Church where she would sing in the Folk choir. 

Shirley went to work at Whitman Publishing in the export department. She really liked dancing and met her future husband, Gerald (Jerry) Brinkmann, at a dance hosted at Polish Hall. They were married on April 21, 1956 and raised three children: Randy, Karen, and Sharon. Each summer the family spent several weeks traveling throughout the United States in their 20 foot motor home. They would open their home and host summer exchange students, one girl from France and three from Germany.

Shirley returned to work in the office of UpJohn Home Health Care for ten years. She enjoyed league bowling, card clubs, and hosting New Year’s Eve parties. Shirley and Jerry loved to entertain by having company and playing all types of cards and games. In retirement, they lived for seven months of the year at their lake cottage in Lac du Flambeau for thirteen years. Shirley liked trying her luck at the nearby casino and working jigsaw puzzles.

Shirley is survived by Jerry, her husband of 57 years; son Randy (Debbie) Brinkmann of Palm Bay, Florida; daughters, Karen (Todd) McMahon of Greenfield, and Sharon (Curt) Mailandt of Sun Prairie; 11 grandchildren: Jeff (fiancée Jennifer Brodsko), Jon, Kristin, and Scott Brinkmann; Paige and Erin McMahon; Nicholas and Kelsey Mailandt; Jimmy (fiancée Kate Staunton) Nixon, Stephanie (Brian) Schroeder, and Michael (Stephanie) Specht ; great-grandchildren: Chase Gunderson, Peyton and Mia Brinkmann. She is further survived by her brother, Loren (Marge) Clark of Racine; sisters: Carol (Michael) Knight of Union Grove, and Kathie (Bruce) McDonald of Rice Lake; sister-in-law, Vivian Clark of Racine; as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her brother, Kenneth Clark, and infant sister, Judith.

Funeral services for Shirley will be held in the funeral home at 11 a.m. on Monday, November 25th with Rev. Holly Anderle officiating. Entombment will follow at West Lawn Memorial Park. Visitation will be held in the funeral home on Sunday, November 24th evening from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and then in the funeral home on Monday beginning at 10 a.m. Memorials to First Baptist Church or Hospice Alliance have been suggested.