Lloyd Donald "Brink" BRINKMAN

1929 - 2015

BRINKMAN, Lloyd Donald "Brink"
Lloyd Donald "Brink" Brinkman of Kerrville, Texas, an entrepreneur, cattleman, philanthropist, and Western art patron, passed peacefully Saturday, July 4th 2015. He was surrounded by those he treasured most; his beloved wife Kathleen; his children, Pamela Brinkman Stone, Lloyd D. (Don) Brinkman, Jr, daughter-in-law Terri Brinkman, and step-son Alexander D. Page; grandchildren Sabine Schaefers, Danielle Schaefers, Lloyd D. (Trace) Brinkman III, Truett Brinkman, Stella Stone, and Jack Stone.

Lloyd was born during a spring blizzard in 1929 on land homesteaded by his Danish grandparents near Dagmar, Mont., the first child of Carl and Astrid Brinkman. In addition to his direct family, he is survived by his siblings: Jeanne Brinkman, Roy (Jean) Brinkman, Glenn (Carolyn) Brinkman, Margaret Roberts, Carolyn (Wendell) Gordon, and Harvey (Carol) Brinkman; mother-in-law Hazel Mahood; numerous nieces and nephews; and his long-time compañero Ascencion Alvarez.

At the age of 5, Lloyd and his family moved to Pascagoula, Miss. After graduating from Pascagoula High School, he attended Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss. on a scholarship arranged by his high school football coach Dobie Holden (Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame). Before finishing college, Lloyd served his country in the US Army. He completed his education at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss. graduating with a BS in Marketing in 1952.

Brink began his business career selling floor covering for Armstrong Cork Company in 1953 and earned a place in Armstrong's two-year Executive Training Program a year later. In 1960, he founded LD Brinkman Company in Dallas, Texas, which under his leadership became the largest floor covering distributor in the US. In 1968, Brink acquired a herd of Brangus cattle, which formed the foundation stock for Brink's Brangus. Brink's Brangus became the preeminent breeder of Brangus cattle by using pioneering technology such as embryo transfers. His corporate interests also included Mr. Gatti's Pizza, which he grew to over 350 locations.

Brink was an artist without a paintbrush and an architect without a drafting table. Bringing his entrepreneurial vision and eye for quality to the art world, Brink became an avid collector of Western art, a style that reflected both his origins and his preferred lifestyle. He was instrumental in bringing the Cowboy Artists of America (CAA) Museum to Kerrville, Texas. Through the LD "Brink" Brinkman Foundation, Brink will continue to share his passion for western art with the public.

He was actively involved in numerous civic and charitable organizations, served on the board of various public and private companies, and received numerous honors. He served on the Board of Directors of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City for many years and was Director Emeritus. The CAA designated Brink an Honorary "Cowboy Artist."

A celebration of Brink's life will be held at the Cailloux Theater, 910 Main Street, Kerrville, Texas at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2015 and is open to all who wish to honor his memory.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hill Country CASA, Inc. (hccasa.org) P.O. Box 290965, Kerrville, Texas 78028.