Mary Mies Brinton 1915-2006


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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