Carolee Brink

Memorial services for Carolee Brink, 72, of Lufkin will be held Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church Lufkin with Rev. Dr. Robert C. Shield officiating. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Carroway Funeral Home.

Mrs. Brink was born September 4, 1954, to the late Elizabeth Joyce (Morgan) and Frank Aldis Brewer, and died Thursday, September 10, 2026 in a local hospice facility.

Carolee Brink was born and raised in Alexandria, Louisiana with her 5 brothers and 2 sisters. Being the second youngest, her and her younger brother Walter, had many fond adventures with their parents to New Orleans, getting to sit at the Carousel Bar with them and eating out at Galatoire’s and Brennan’s. Her older brothers were always her protectors and they all remained close to this day. Family was incredibly important to Carolee.

Carolee graduated from Tulane with her Master’s in Social Work. She worked at UTMB in Galveston in the Psychological unit for a couple of years then moved to Houston and worked for many years with children in the hemophilia and pediatric renal units and at Hermann in the Med Center. In 1996, she quit social work and started working at the Day School at St. Luke’s UMC.

When they moved to Lufkin in 2001, she started working in the Day School at Lufkin FUMC, where she eventually became the Director of Christian Education in 2004. She served in that role for 20 years before retiring in 2024. She thrived in this role of love and service. Countless lives have been touched through her work at the church. She ended every children’s time with her catchphrase, “remember, you are someone special.” She was an honorary mom in town to her younger co-workers, whether that meant going to sit with them in the hospital when their own family was far away or lending a listening ear. She went on many service trips with her “Prime Timers,” often to the UMC Missions Depot in Sager Brown or to The Brookwood Community. She was also very active in the East Texas Emmaus Community. She leaves behind a legacy of love and service.

It is while she was a social worker that she met her husband of 38 years, John. She loved him and their two children so much. She would do just about anything for her family, even get on rollercoasters and go on ghost tours just because Sadie or Will asked her. She made sure every day that they knew that they were loved and special. Birthdays and holidays were always big days in the Brink household. Whether it was making cookie pops for Sadie’s kindergarten class to celebrate with her or having a t-shirt quilt made for Will for his college graduation. If there was a holiday, Carolee was going to make sure her family felt celebrated. In her later years, she even dressed up as Mrs. Clause to John’s Santa for community events.

Carolee will be remembered for many things but most of all her indomitable spirit and optimism. She’d always say, “Oh, I’m just a Pollyanna.” Even when life got hard and her health declined, she always found the bright side of things and a will to live and share her love with all of her loved ones and friends. Anyone who knew Carolee, knew that she had a huge heart and a love for God and her neighbors.

Survivors include her husband, John Brink of Lufkin; daughter, Sadie Brink of Huntsville; son, Will Brink of Austin; brothers and sisters-in-law, David and Emmy Brewer of Alexandria, Louisiana, Gordon and Ginger Brewer of San Antonio, Stephen and Margaret Brewer of Houston, and Walter and Debbie Brewer of Austin; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, John Morgan Brewer; sisters, Charlotte Brewer Ruth and Frances Brewer Jordan; sister-in-law, Lee Brewer; and niece, Margaret Elizabeth Brewer.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sam Houston State University Wesley Foundation, 1632 University Avenue, Huntsville, Texas 77340 or online at www.shsuwesley.org, or First United Methodist Church Lufkin Kitchen Fund, 805 E Denman Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75901.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.