Marion Francis “Joe” Brink

He graduated from a one-room schoolhouse in Golden Eagle, IL (Calhoun County), a rural area in the Western edge of the state at the point where the Illinois River flows into the Mississippi River, where he learned to swim. The hills and valleys are covered with apple and peach orchards. This, then, was the environment in which Marion F. Brink, Ph.D., was born and raised which served as an inspiration to him and shaped his life-long values of Faith, Family, and Country, and an interest in agriculture. He was the first person from Calhoun County to earn a Ph.D. and worked for the dairy industry for 30 years.

Dr. Brink, known to many of his friends and relatives as “Joe,” age 86, was born November 20, 1932 and died on March 20, 2019 in Glenview, Illinois. He graduated from Brussels Community High School, Brussels, IL.; earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana, and received his Ph.D. degree in Nutrition and Animal Science from the University of Missouri, Columbia. In the summer between his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, he served as Summer Fellow at Charles Pfizer Research Center, Terre Haute, IN.

His first position after graduate school was as a Research Biologist with the U.S. Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory, San Francisco (now closed) where he did research on the effects of ionizing radiation. The remainder of his professional career was with the dairy industry; National Dairy Council (NDC), now a part of Dairy Management, Inc., in Rosemont, IL. He was promoted to various positions of increasing responsibilities in each organization.

He began his 18-year career with NDC, established in 1915, to fund nutrition research at the leading medical and scientific institutions, and to develop nutrition education programs and materials which are implemented at the Community, State and Regional levels by member organizations and affiliated units working with leaders who influence the eating habits of the American public. Dr. Brink served as Associate Director of Nutrition Research, Director of Nutrition Research, Acting President, and President of the organization. NDC was selected by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and Foundation to be the first recipient of the Presidents’ Circle Nutrition Education Award for providing scientifically-sound nutrition education programs for the American public. The Award was received by Dr. Brink at the ADA and Foundation annual meeting.

After serving 14 years as President of NDC, he was asked to assume the position of Executive Vice President of Operations (COO) for UDIA. UDIA was organized by dairy farmers in 1970 as an umbrella organization to coordinate its programs of advertising and sales promotions, marketing and economic research, public relations and communications, nutrition research/education, and process/product research and development for its State and Regional Member Organizations and Affiliated Dairy Council Units.

While COO, he was promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer of the organization. After retiring from UDIA in 1991, he established M.F. Brink, Ph.D., and Associates – consultants to the dairy and food industries.

Dr. Brink had a number of professional accomplishments as well. For example, he served as Vice Chairman of the USDA human nutrition advisory Committee (1980-1981), was a life member of the University of Missouri and University of Illinois Alumni Associations, and was recipient of the Citation of Merit Award from the University of Missouri Alumni Association for outstanding achievement and meritorious service. Dr. Brink published articles in a number of peer-reviewed professional journals and edited a book, Dairy Lipids and Lipid Metabolism. He was a member of several organizations including the American Society of Nutrition, the American Society for Clinical Nutrition, the Dairy Shrine Club, Alpha Tau Alpha, and Gamma Sigma Delta. He is listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in The Midwest, and in American Men and Women of Science.

He was preceded in death by his father, Anton Frank Brink, his mother, A. Gertrude (Nee: Cresswell) Brink; six sisters, Anita Hirschfeld, Agnes Gerling, Cecile Grau, Lorraine Hagen, Edythe Noah, and Geri Pohlman; and two nieces, three nephews, and a great nephew and niece; and dear friend Epi Tapia.

He is survived by one sister, Dolores Burkett, several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews.

He lived in Wilmette for over 40 years and was a member of St. Francis Xavier Church, Wilmette, and St. Joseph Catholic Church, Wilmette.

Visitation will be held on March 26, 2019, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Baue Funeral Home, St. Charles, MO. A Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 AM on March 27, 2019, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Brussels, IL with burial to follow in St. Mary’s cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Mary’s School and Church, Brussels, IL; St. Francis Xavier School and Church, Wilmette, IL, and to St. Joseph School and Church, Wilmette, IL.

NOTE: Due to current flooding conditions the ferries are closed, it is suggested to use the Hardin Bridge as an alternate route.