William James Brin, 87, went on to new horizons Thursday, November 10, 2011, at his home in Hollister, CA.
He was born in Damar, KS on February 17, 1924, to Hubert and Nora (Bedard) Brin. He grew up in Dodge City and Plainville, KS.
He served during WWII with the First Army, First Division, 16th Infantry Regiment. After the war, he attended Fort Hays Kansas State College in Hays, Kansas graduating with a B.S. in Agriculture degree and a teaching certificate.
He married Harriet Keplinger on August 16, 1949, in Plainville, KS. They farmed near Stockton, KS until 1953 when he started working for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR).
Bill worked in the Soil and Concrete Lab on several dams in the Midwest and West, retiring in Hollister in 1980. Bill was an avid hunter and hiker, and was active in many sports. He won numerous awards.
He became a pilot in 1960 and was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Hollister Airmen’s Association, Friends of the San Benito County Free Library and Historic Trail Flyers. He served on the Hollister Airport Commission. He was active in the Roman Catholic Church and served as lector.
Bill is survived by his wife, Harriet, of Hollister; his daughters, Ann Eden (Ogden, Utah); Lois Diemert and Bill Shaffer (Seattle, WA); Beth Brin and Larry Lechner (Boise, ID); grandchildren Reg and Laurie Eden (Las Vegas, NV); Lyndi Eden (Ogden, UT); Dustin and Jisun Diemert and son Andrew (Baltimore, MD); Josh Diemert and Christina Cunningham and children Serenity Diemert, Jonathan Tharp, and Freedom Wells (Renton, Washington); brother Don and Elaine Brin (Plainville, KS); sister Louise Bolt (Enid, OK); and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Hubert Brin; mother, Nora Bedard Brin Kaba; step-father, Phil Kaba; and sister, Kathleen Rohr.
Visitation will be held at the Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home on Friday, November 18, 2011, from 1:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. with the rosary offered at 7:00 P.M. Funeral services will be at Sacred Heart Church on Saturday, November 19, 2011, at 11:00 A.M. A memorial is planned in the spring in Plainville, KS, where Bill will be buried.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to an aviation organization, USATT ; Friends of The Library, or a charity of your choice.
Visit: www.grunnagle.com for condolences.
