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Longtime
resident of Davis, Mary Mies Brinton died at home on January 6, 2006,
at the age of 90.
Born on June 6, 1915, in Pontiac, Illinois, she moved with her family
to California in 1922, first to Highland Park and later to Oceanside,
where she attended high school, graduating in 1932. Given the times, she
was fortunate to find a job in at the high school, progressing from typist
to head secretary. She also taught evening typing classes in typing and
after her mother’s death , kept house for her father and brother,
Leo, after her mother’s death. In 1937 she moved to Washington, D.C.,
working first for the Government Printing Office and later for the Social
Security Tax Unit. She always often spoke enthusiastically of her time
as an independent young woman in the nation’s capital. Her transfer
to the tax office in Los Angeles the next year coincided with her father’s
death. She continued to work for the federal government for the next eight
years.
While ice skating, she became acquainted with members of the Ski Mountaineering
section Section of the Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club. Through this
club, she became an avid skier, hiker, and camper and eventually met her
husband, Robert Bob Brinton. They were married in January 1946 while he
was completing his Ph.D. in chemistry at UCLA. He When Bob received a
position in the Chemistry Department at UC Davis in its post-war expansion
phase, and they moved to Davis in 1948. Together they built their house
on Oak Avenue, where they resided for the next half century.Together,
they designed a house on Oak Avenue, and over a period of a few years
worked as a team to build it themselves. They resided in this house for
over half a century.
After the birth of her their three daughters, Louise, Donna, Louise, and
Laurel, Mary worked from home, typing numerous dissertations and books.
After When the girls began school, she returned to work at the university,
first in the Botany Department and later in the Psychology Department.
Most of this time, Mary worked only 80% so that she and the family could
take weekend trips to the Sierras where the entire family enjoyed hiking,
backpacking, and skiingoutdoor adventures. Many productive and enjoyable
years were spent there, where she rose to Management Services Officer,
retiring in 1982.Mary was the mainstay of the Psychology office, rising
to Management Services Officer. Her network of friends extended across
campus. She retired from the University in 1982.
Mary and Bob had a passionate interest in traveling. In addition to sabbaticals
years spent in Ottawa, Canada,; Stuttgart, Germany,; and Cambridge, England,,
she they traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, India, South and Central
America, Australia, and New Zealand, withthroughout the world., including
reflecting Their travels reflected their love of the outdoors,. This includinged
treks in the Himalayas, visits to exotic trips ranging fromto the Himalayan
Himalayas, treks, to visits to orangutan sanctuaries in Indonesia, to
trips toand Greenland. orangutan sanctuaries in Indonesia, and small boat
travel around the Galapagos and Patagonia. In her later years Ffollowing
Bob’s death in 19861996, she Mary stayed closer to home but was active
socially andbecame very involved in volunteer activities, including UC
Davis Medical Center and University Farm Circle.
Mary is survived by her three daughters, Donna Brinton of Hollywood Los
Angeles (and her partner significant other Christos Eliopoulos), Louise
Brinton of Bethesda, Maryland (and her husband Kevin Adams), and Laurel
Brinton of Vancouver, British Columbia (and her husband Ralph Brands),
and by two granddaughters, Monica Brands and Elise Adams.
A memorial mass will be held Wednesday, January 11, 2006 at 10:00 a.m.
at St. James Parish Church in Davis. In lieu of flowers, the family requests
that memorial donations be made to an organization that Mary had supported
for many years, the Mission San Lucas, Toliman in, Guatemalala (http://www.sanlucasmission.com/)
(checks to 1400 Sixth St. North, New Ulm, MN 56073), an organization that
Mary supported for many years, to the American Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org/),
or to a charity of your choice.
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