John R. Brinkmann

1921 - 2014

Brinkmann, John R.

John Robert Brinkmann, of EI Lago, Texas, passed away March 5, 2014 at the age of 92. John was born in Rozellville, Wis., to John Henry and Wilhelmina Szebstadt Brinkmann. He was a graduate of Marshfield High School.

John loved flying. He made the service his career. He was a navigator in WWll, flew bombers and was on his way to overseas combat when the war ended. After the war, John settled in Hampton, Va., and started working for NACA, which was later to become NASA, in the Photographic Dept. With his talent and drive, John rose through the ranks and when NASA moved to Houston, he accepted the challenge to start the photographic laboratory at what was to become the Johnson Space Center outside of Houston. John was there for Little Joe, Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects. He was the man responsible for the photographs and film of that era.

During this time, he continued his love of flying in the Air Force Reserve and retired at the rank of Major. With the goal of sending a man to the moon and safely returning him to earth fulfilled, he retired from NASA in 1975.

John married Helen Cash of Hampton, Va., and was married for 67 years until Helen's passing in 2011. John is survived by his children, Carol, John (Terri Lynn), Michael (Jennifer), Jeanie McHugh (Terry) and many grandchildren and great children. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Delma Roe and Mildred Schultz and brothers Eugene, Harold, Alfred, Francis and Raymond.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, March 14, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Nassau Bay, Texas.