Richard Henry Brinkley, Jr.

A Celebration of Life Service for Richard Henry Brinkley, Jr., 76, a resident of Presbyterian Community of Lexington, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at Seven Oaks Presbyterian Church, 530 St. Andrews Road, Columbia, SC, with the Reverend Jana Creighton officiating. The family will greet friends at a reception in the fellowship hall immediately following the service. A private burial will be at Woodridge Memorial Park.

Richard passed away on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Born in Wagener, SC, to the late Richard Henry Brinkley, Sr., and the late Miriam Corbett Brinkley, he spent his entire childhood and youth in the town and frequently returned to visit the community he loved so dearly. He attended Georgia Military College and graduated from the University of Georgia in 1968. He later obtained a degree from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from Webster University.

He served his country as a medic in the Army Reserve during the Vietnam War. His career included stints in banking and finance and culminated with a procurement manager position with the South Carolina Budget and Control Board.

Richard was truly devoted to his wife of 33 years, Irene Barron Scarborough Brinkley. They loved spending long weekends at their cabin near Marshall, NC., where they both enjoyed the serenity of the mountains and the majestic views.

A firm believer in service to God and to others, Richard was a past president of the Cayce-West Columbia Lions Club and an elder at Seven Oaks Presbyterian Church, where he was instrumental in helping launch the church’s Legacy Fund.

Surviving are his daughter, Melanie Brinkley Bateman; best friend, Debbie Wooten Taylor; sister, Elizabeth Brinkley English (Gordon); brother, Stephen Corbett Brinkley; sisters-in-law, Sara Delphine Scarborough and Virginia Ann Scarborough Hollifield (David); brother-in-law, William Barron Scarborough (Elizabeth “Beth”); nieces and nephews, Elizabeth English Cody (Troy), Philip Harden English (Emily), Robert Sanders Hogan (Kristen), Margaret Hollifield Nevergoll (Alec), Mary Scarborough Moore (Justin), Nancy Scarborough Bowers (Brett), and Joseph William Scarborough; close family friend, Jennings Badie Duncan, III; four-legged son, Spike; and his dear friend Sharon Nicholson, who always helped with his and Irene’s pets and was their devoted housekeeper for many years.  He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his sister, Sheryl Pansy Brinkley; his father-in-law, Robert Lee Scarborough, Sr.; his mother-in-law, Irene McQueen Barron Scarborough; and his brother-in-law, Robert Lee Scarborough, Jr.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Seven Oaks Presbyterian Church, 530 St. Andrews Road, Columbia, SC 29210.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Richard Henry Brinkley, Jr., please visit our floral store.