Norman Grant Brinkley, age 57 left this world for his heavenly home on April 28th, 2019 after a fifteen-month battle with pancreatic cancer.  Cancer may have ravaged his body, but it could not steal his love for his family, zest for life, unparalleled wit, or passion for people.  He is survived by his wife, Rebecca (Becky), his parents, Jerry and Carolyn Brinkley and his 10 children; Lindsay Wallace, married to Russ, Sarah Voss, married to JD, Cady Esparza, married to Hugo, Melanie Benfield, married to Matthew, Viktoria, Veronika, Virginia, Levi, Selah, and Isaac.  He was called "Pops" by 7 grandchildren, Eva, Regan, Justin, Kael, Bristol, Colt, Bash and coming soon, Alexander and Theodore.  He loved his sister Liesl Jones, married to Jerry and his numerous nephews and nieces.

Norman spent his childhood in Alaska loving snowmobiling, camping, and fishing and despite experiencing seasickness on the boat—he persevered and caught numerous halibut including one weighing in at 138lbs.  His high school years were lived out in Clinton, AR where he was voted most likely to be remembered.  He went on to mechanic school, and eventually earned a degree in electronics.  His love for Alaska drew him back where he met Becky, his wife of 33 years. Over the decades they lived in Idaho, Washington state and finally Houston, Texas where he happily settled in a climate to 'warm his bones'.

His constant mechanical curiosity and hands on approach drove his career choices in the oil and gas industry.  His children believed that he could fix everything—from a slinky tied in knots to a broken heart.  He loved his job because it allowed him to solve problems and think outside the box.  Looking for loopholes, he often found creative and innovative ways to improve conventional systems.

A member of the West Houston Church of Christ where he served as an Elder, he led small groups, went on numerous mission trips, loved working with the youth, served at church camp, and simply loved on people.  Living out the call to care for orphans, Norm and Becky worked as foster parents and also adopted six children to add to their four biological girls.  He was passionate about kids, especially the fatherless, and unofficially mentored those in single family homes and in foster care and orphanages while also leading foster and adoption support groups.

Well known for his humor and practical jokes and vivid storytelling, he was always the life of any group he was in at work, church, home, or with his friends.  Facebook became his platform for living a lighthearted life, filling his posts with humor, puns, and witty remarks.  And he always appreciated a good joke played on him.

Playing a game with his kids, they would point out a car driving down the road and he could tell them the make, model, and year at a glance.  He loved working on cars and last summer, with the help of his close friend, Trail Wills, he was able to fulfill his dream of drag racing.  At age 15, he bought his first Ford Mustang and although he owned many other cars in his life—raising a large family detoured him from his dream of restoring his Great-grandfathers 1948 Plymouth.

In the fifteen months since his diagnosis—Norm lived life fully on his terms.  He was able to take a trip to southern Utah and Arizona with his parents and sister's family.  For the first time ever, all 10 of his children were finally in the same location for two weeks enjoying a great Alaskan adventure.  He celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas surrounded by family.  In January, he took a cruise in the Caribbean with his wife.  These trips left his family with treasured memories and Norm with precious time to bond with his loved ones.

A man of generosity, integrity, humility, and humor, Norman Brinkley will be sorely missed by those he loved, served, and worked beside.  His faith in God and passion for humanity inspires a powerful legacy.