Ruth Rosalie (Bourquin) Brinkley

Funeral services for Ruth Rosalie (Bourquin) Brinkley, 88, of Clinton will held at 2:00P.M. Monday, March 14, 2016 at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Clinton, Oklahoma with Rev. Dale Nease and Jimmy Lynn Musick officiating and under the direction of Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. Burial will be held in the Stafford Cemetery following the service. Ruth was born 88 years ago in Butler, Oklahoma on October 25, 1927. She was the 2nd of 3 daughters of Charlie Bourquin and Alma (Horst) Bourquin. Ruth died March 10, 2016, at Grace Living Center in Clinton, Oklahoma. She began school in the one-room country school, Red Walker and graduated from Butler High School in May of 1945. She grew up on Barnitz Creek by Butler, Oklahoma. She would often reminisce about the school box suppers, playing in the Bartinz Creek, and simple country life. Her mother passed away when she was 15-years-old, leaving her dad to raise her and her 5-year-old sister, Shirley. When she was 16, she met her future husband, Charlie Blain Brinkley. The following year, Blain asked for her hand in marriage. Her dad said she had to finish school before he would allow her to get married. She finished her senior year oh high school in May of 1945. She picked up her diploma on the morning of May 25 then she and Blain went to the courthouse and the two were married that afternoon. Their marriage lasted over 60 years, until Blain passed away on January 7, 2009. Ruth and Blain started their family in 1947 with the birth of Michael Blain. They moved to Port Angeles to be close to her oldest sister, Bernice and her family, and for job opportunities. After a short while there, they became homesick for Oklahoma. So they boarded the train and headed home. After coming back, Ruth and Blain went on to have four more children. Charles Ray was born in 1949, Leslie Allen in 1952, Enola Gay in 1956 and Barbara Sue in 1961 raising all five of their children in Clinton, Oklahoma. She often joked that Blain promised her the moon and stars but instead gave her 3 sons and 2 daughters. She was proud of all of her children and frequently said that she never had much but she had her family and love and that was worth more than anything. She loved cooking for her family and having company over to eat. Anyone who ever had dinner at the Brinkley table will tell you she was the "best" cook. Blessing others with a meal was a blessing to her. She also had a talent of single handedly remodeling the house to meet the needs of a growing family. While raising her children and beyond she worked in the food industry for most of her life. She loved that type of work because she could meet people and share stories. She often mentioned how much she missed waitressing and wished she could go back and work around people. Ruth worked at S & S Restaurant, Big T, Dairy Queen, Rib Cage and the Dairy Hut to name a few. After retiring, Ruth enjoyed going on short trips with Blain to visit grandchildren, family members and friends. She loved teaching her grandchildren to cook, how to plant a garden and even shoot a basketball. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren were the light of her life. Ruth was a faithful member of Cumberland Presbyterian Church for over 60 years. She loved singing in the choir, helping preparing meals, assisting with bible school and studying her Bible. She was also a member of TOPS club and an active member of Custer County Home Extension Club. She loved going to the meetings and made some great friends while being in active in club. After suffering a stroke in June 2015, her health began to fail rapidly. However, she never lost her sense of humor, her witty comebacks or his smile. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Blain Brinkley and a son, Leslie Allen Brinkley; and one sister Bernice Medley. She is survived two sons, Mike Brinkley and wife, Kathy, of Clinton and Charles Brinkley and wife, Jeanie, of Allenspark, Colorado; two daughters, Enola Crayton and husband, Clyde, and Barbara Smith and fiancé, Curtis Duff; 14 grandchildren, Michael, Chris, Brett, Shandee, Sharra, Shala, Lora, Cora, Lee Ann, Joseph, Rachel, Casey, Sarah and Shea and 18 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister Shirley Bourquin; Aunt (Sister by heart) Marie Dewees and a special niece Sandra Medley Rogers of Washington as well as numerous other nieces and nephews. The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the Grace Living Center Administration and staff and to Shepherd Hospice for the Love, Care and Support they showed Grandma Ruth and the family. The family has suggested those wanting to give a memorial contribution may do so to the Grace Living Center Activity Department for the residents or to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.