Brink was born March 12, 1926, and grew up in Bogota, N.J. 

He attended Blair Academy, did Navy service before college, and graduated in 1951 with a degree in chemical engineering. His varied industrial research and management career began with General Electric in Warren, Ohio, and then he returned to New Jersey with Pfister Chemical. 

Later the Brinkerhoffs moved to Grand Rapids, Mich. There Brink spent the balance of his career in the chemical research divisions and management of Amway and later Aetna. Brink was twice married. With his first wife, Jacqueline (Martin), he had five sons. During his second marriage of 53 years to Barbara Ann (Reinhardt), he became the parent of another son and a daughter. 

Brink died April 1, 2021, in Portland, Ore., at the home of his daughter. His survivors include six sons, a daughter, 13 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, five nephews, four nieces, and a cousin.