Monday, October 21, 2019

Nora Ryrie Brink Hunter The Daughter of Carol Ryrie Brink Author of Caddie Woodlawn. 1924-2019



NORA CAROLINE BRINK HUNTER
1924-2019
THE DAUGHTER OF 
Raymond Woodard Brink
Caroline Sybil Ryrie
AKA
AUTHOR 
CAROL RYRIE BRINK
CADDIE WOODLAWN
NEWBERRY AWARD
1936


Sept. 27, 1926 - Oct. 20, 2019 Nora Caroline "Tink" Brink Hunter was born on September 27, 1926 in St. Paul Minnesota to Raymond W. Brink and Carol Ryrie Brink. 

Along with her older brother David, they spent winters in St Paul and summers at the family's beloved cabin on Lake Windigo near Hayward, WI. When the time came, Nora chose to attend Pomona College. She traveled across country alone by train and remembered when she first saw California from the train window. "I saw the palm trees and never looked back!" She met her future husband, Howard "Deacon" Hunter, a practical joker and recently returned WWII pilot, at college.

 She graduated from Pomona in 1948 but continued to meet with her female contemporaries at their reunions for the "Perennial Sophomores". Marrying the same week that she graduated, Nora became a wife and eventually a mother, moving to Whittier in 1951. In 1958 the Hunters moved to the historic house where she lived for the next 61 years. Intelligence, humor and creativity were guiding principles as she encouraged her four children to write, read, sew, paint, photograph, design, sing, act or whatever else took their fancy. She was honest, honorable, responsible and kind. She was "inclusive" before it was a "thing". She loved dolls and kept an eclectic collection from many countries and many eras. She was a painter, even organizing weekly family painting nights during her "Super Mom" stage. She loved to travel and was always ready to go, whether on a family road trip, a world tour with in-laws and friends, or a cruise to Mexico or Alaska with her family. She was an expert at Scrabble and NYT crossword puzzles. To the end of her life, she could still answer Jeopardy clues that nobody else knew. 

In the community, Nora worked at the Whittier Public Library for several years, and she must have been one of their most active patrons as she was known to devour books, sometimes as quickly as a book a day. Her mother had been a Newbery-award winning author, and Nora also loved to write. She joined the memoir group at the Friends Church and often had a funny or poignant story to read at the weekly meetings. She participated in Victorian Christmas for the Whittier Museum. But Nora's real love was the Whittier Community Theatre group. For many years she was a prolific costumer, an inspired prop mistress, a Board member, a play producer, a set painter, a brownie baker, an avid audience member and once, an actress. Did we mention her epic cast parties? 

Nora died peacefully on October 20. She was preceded in death by Howard "Deacon" Hunter Jr., her husband of 66 years.

 She is survived by her children 
1.Susan (Michael) Eiden, 
2. Scott (Paula) Hunter, Kathryn (David Thomforde) 
3. Hunter Clark
4.  Clark Hunter. 

Her grandchildren are Emily Eiden (Trevor) Murphy, Alex Hunter, Andrew (Sarah Kei Brooks) Eiden, and Nora (Quentin Purviance) Hunter. She has three great-granddaughters, Ava Hunter, and Caroline and Oona Murphy. A celebration of her life will be held December 22. Contact noratinkbrinkhunter@gmail.com for details. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Whittier Community Theatre at P.O. Box 601, Whittier, CA 90608.

Published in Pasadena Star-News on Nov. 26, 2019
Source:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pasadenastarnews/obituary.aspx?pid=194549006

Susan Carolina Hunter and Michael Eiden
Her grandchildren are Emily Eiden (Trevor)
Andrew (Sarah Kei Brooks) Eiden







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