Nellie Brink

Nellie Brink, age 80, of Bangor passed away quietly in her sleep on October 7, 2023. She was born on September 15, 1943, in Nauvoo, Alabama, the daughter of John Patrick and Annie Niece (Harbin) Darty. She helped her mother with canning, gardening, and picking cotton as a child. She later moved to Bangor, MI, with her parents. She married young and lived with her in-laws in Auburndale, FL, where she and her first husband picked fruit for a living. Together with family, she traveled back and forth from Florida to Michigan until finally settling in Fennville, MI, where she raised her children. She later married her husband, Allen Brink, and they have been married for 28 years. Together, they enjoyed fishing and traveling. She spent her later years in Grand Haven, MI. She worked many years at General Electric in Holland, MI, and was active in Rotor Staterettes and community service. Following the closing of General Electric, she worked at Bohn Aluminum and then at Life Savers in Holland, MI. She stayed at Life Savers until the factory moved out of the country. Throughout her life, she was involved in Community service programs that helped others obtain food, clothing, and shelter. She has traveled to many US states and enjoyed trips to Hawaii, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Washington DC, and Las Vegas. She loved flowers, gardening, canning, cooking, dancing, and, in the past couple of years, took up diamond dot painting. As far as cooking goes, there was nothing she could not make. She was famous for her potato salad, fried chicken, fried fish, hush puppies, and fudge. Surviving is her husband, Allen Brink. Her seven children Melvina (Randall) Green of Venice, FL; Debra (Terry) Francik of Grand Junction, MI, Melvin (Tracey) Warnock of Otsego, MI, Kevin Warnock of Grand Haven, MI, son-in-law John DeJonge of Fennville, Larry Brink of Covert, MI, Tina Brink of Bangor MI, Angela (Bobby) Godgiben of Hartford, MI, 24 grand kids, 46 great grandkids, 2 great great grandkids and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband Melvin Warnock, oldest daughter Patricia DeJonge; sisters Alada Schnake, Virgie Lawson, Betty Obidzinski, and brother Virgil (Buddy) Darty; and many in-laws and family friends. The family will meet friends from 11-12 on October 14, 2023, where a celebration of life for Nellie will follow at 12 p.m. at the Bangor Chapel, D.L. Miller Funeral Home. Interment will be at McDowell Cemetery immediately following her service. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Corewell Spectrum Health Hospice in her memory.

Nellie Brink

September 15, 1943 - October 7, 2023