Joseph L. Brinster, 98

HARRINGTON - Joseph L. Brinster of Harrington died Monday, May 14, 2007, in The Milford Center, Genesis Eldercare. He was 98.

Mr. Brinster was born in Butler, N.J., son of the late Lorenz and Mary Neumann Brinster.

After graduation from Butler High School, he was employed as a trading clerk at the Henry Doherty Brokerage Firm, New York until the 1929 Wall Street crash.

At that time, he met and married his wife. Joseph was a tireless worker and held more than 20 jobs during the Depression to support his family.

While employed fulltime at Mack Molding Co., he founded, with his wife, the Brindell Goat Dairy in Cedar Grove, N.J. In 1960, the family moved to Harrington where he was active in community and church activities. He continued to work as a bookkeeper and to manage his small farm.

Mr. Brinster was a member of the Knights of Columbus and a volunteer at St. Bernadette Church for more than 30 years. He belonged to Lions Club International and the DelMarVa District of Ruritan National. He was well respected for his hard work, honesty, and intellectual curiosity and will be missed by all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 75 years, Doris Atkins Brinster; and a son, Francis P. Brinster; his brothers, Francis and Lawrence Brinster, and a sister, Kunigunda B. Urciouli.

He is survived by a son, Dr. Ralph Brinster and his wife, Elaine, of Gladwyne, Pa., and their four children, Dr. Lauren Brinster of Gaithersburg, Md., Kristen Brinster Waddington and her husband, Richard of Glenelg, Md., Dr. Derek Brinster and his wife, Dr. Nooshin of Richmond, Va., and Dr. Clayton Brinster and his wife, Dr. Camille Introcaso of Philadelphia; a daughter-in-law, Suzanne H. Brinster of Harlingen, Texas and her daughters, Kimberly Brinster of New York, and Elizabeth B. Bodenhamer of Harlingen; six great-grandchildren, Colin, Amy, and Claire Waddington and Layla, Maya, and Neda Brinster; a brother, John Brinster; a sister, Gloria Gardella, N.J.; a brother-in-law, Michael Acocella of New Jersey; and a sister-in-law, Minnie Belle Berg of Laurel; many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial will be 11 a.m. Saturday in St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 109 Dixon St., Harrington, where friends may call one hour earlier.

Burial will be in Hollywood Cemetery, Harrington.

Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the St. Bernadette Building Fund, 109 Dixon St., Harrington, DE 19952.

Arrangements are by McKnatt, Carpenter and Baker Funeral Home, Harrington.