Irene Brinkmann

It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the passing of Irene Helga Astrid (Horn) Brinkmann at age 64. Our beloved Irene passed away in a car accident on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

Irene was born in Butzbach, Hessen, Germany on October 25, 1961 to Wolfgang and Christamarie Horn. Her mother tragically passed away when Irene was 18 months old. During the difficult months that followed, she was lovingly fostered by a neighbor, Anneliese Woetzel, and her husband Erik until her father remarried. Irene said that Frau Woetzel loved her unconditionally. Irene reconnected with her as a teenager and maintained a relationship with her until Frau Woetzel’s death. Irene was the only sister to six brothers. Her family immigrated from Germany to Wisconsin in 1968. Six year old Irene entered first grade speaking no English, and had to learn English at school.

Irene earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1983. In a German literature class, she met Tim Brinkmann. Tim and his wife Priscilla introduced Irene to his brother Dan. Dan and Irene had their first date on Christmas Eve 1982. After a lengthy courtship of two weeks, Irene and Dan got engaged. They were married July 23, 1983. Early in marriage, Irene made it clear that she always wanted six kids. She got her wish. The Lord blessed them with six beautiful children. Irene homeschooled her children for the majority of their K-12 education.

Irene and Dan spent their early marriage in Wausau, Wisconsin; Columbus, Ohio; and Westby, Wisconsin. In 2000, they made a cross-country move to Jacksonville, FL where they lived for 10 years. During her years in Jacksonville, she began to assist her friends at their births and became a certified birth doula. She taught English to speakers of other languages on trips to the Czech Republic and in Jacksonville. Irene also worked at World Relief, supporting refugee families as they made a new home in the US. Through this work, Irene invited numerous refugees into her own home for meals and developed friendships with people from around the world. This readiness to be hospitable extended to many others in her life, including her church community and her children’s friends.

Dan and Irene eventually settled in the Myrtle Beach, SC area in 2013. That same year, Irene became a grandma, less than a week after surviving a serious car accident. Irene really shined as Omi to her six grandkids. She made it her priority to spend time with her children and grandchildren, traveling all around the USA–and even to Nepal and India–to be with them.

Irene became a realtor during her years in Myrtle Beach. As in other areas of life, she was gifted at understanding the individual needs of her clients and worked hard to meet them. She enjoyed opportunities to work with a wide range of people, including immigrants and international clients. Her coworkers said, “Her clients trusted her deeply. They came back to her again and again, not just because she was an excellent agent, but because she cared about them.”

Irene always loved a good story, whether reading it in a book or watching it in a film. She would become immersed in the emotions and characters, and later give you an enthusiastic and detailed review.

Irene enjoyed playing board games like Azul, Qwirkle, Scrabble, and Settlers of Catan. Board games brought out her competitive side; her ultimate goal was always to defeat Dan. Irene also expressed her creativity with crochet, sometimes adapting or making up her own patterns.

Irene loved to explore and travel, often spontaneously. One of her greatest joys was to visit relatives both near and far. In her later years, Irene treasured her freedom to return more frequently to Europe to reconnect with her Swiss and German family.

Irene will be dearly missed by her husband, Dan Brinkmann, and her children: Kirstin (Sameer) Joshi, Lois (Brian) Van Stratum, Keith Brinkmann, Danielle (Jake) Kahn, Steffi Brinkmann, and Kurt Brinkmann. Irene is also loved and survived by her grandchildren: Magnolia, Lazarus, and Gloria Van Stratum; and Avik, Som, and Freya Joshi.

Irene is survived by her brothers Frank (Susanne) Horn, Herbert (Evi) Horn, and Mark (Amanda) Horn; and 10 nieces and nephews.

Irene was preceded in death by her brothers Erik Horn, Mano Horn, and Bernd Horn; by her parents, Christamarie (Rippert) Horn and Wolfgang Horn; stepmother Frieda Horn; and her niece Lara Buser.

We invite you to celebrate her life with us on March 28, 2026 at 11:00am at Garden City Baptist Church (501 Pine Ave., Murrells Inlet, SC 29576).

An informal gathering will also be held on Friday, March 27, 2026 from 5:00-8:00pm at Garden City Baptist Church in the fellowship hall. Light refreshments will be provided at the Friday gathering and there will be a luncheon after the service on Saturday.

In lieu of flowers, Irene would be honored by a donation to Doctors Without Borders (https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/) or World Relief (https://worldrelief.org/).