Gene Brinster

Funeral services for Gene Brinster were held July 30, 2012 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Portland Oregon.


Gene passed away on July 26, 2012 Oregon.


Gene was born on May 4, 1929 to Rapheal and Katerine Brinster in New England, North Dakota. At the age of eight, his family moved to a farm thirteen miles south of Belfield to the Gaylord community where they became members of the Lady of Lourdes church. He attended a small country school until the eighth grade and then worked on the family farm. When Gene was 20, he entered the army. He completed his basic training at Fort Benning and attended cooking school in Presidio, California. Gene went on to complete his paratroop training at Fort Bragg before being shipped to Korea in 1951. Gene returned home in May of 1953, and starting dating Betty Schmidt. They married on October 12, 1953 and spent one summer working on the family farm receiving a call from a job in Montana. Gene and Betty lived there for four years. Work was poor, so in March of 1959, they decided to move their family to Portland, Oregon where they stayed with his sister Barbara and brother-in-law Tony Steiner. Gene soon found work and he and Betty bought their own (first) home where their family grew to five children. Gene started his career as a diesel mechanic at St. John’s Motor Express, which later became Widing Transportation. He worked there for 32 years before retiring in 1991. Gene and Betty were seeking more than the city life, so once their children were old enough, they began taking their family camping and traveling to see the sites. They continued their love of travel and adventure and bought their first motor home after their children were grown. This would be the beginning of many years they would enjoy traveling, making new friends, and dancing along the way. Gene and Betty owned four motor homes over the course of 25 years. They traveled extensively throughout the United States, including trips to Canada, Alaska, and Mexico; until Gene’s illness forced them to stop traveling.


Gene is survived by his wife, Betty of 58 years; daughters Denise Brinster and Collen (Darren) Soderberg; sons Allan (Michelle) Brinster and Clyde Brinster; thirteen grandchildren, six great-grandchildren; sisters Barbara Steiner, Ann Frank, Adeline Durrah and Leona Seilinger; and brothers Ralph and Leslie Brinster.


Gene is preceded in death by his parents, two sons, Edward and Gordon; two brothers; and two sisters.


Burial Date: August 18, 2012
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND