IRVINGTON—Otis Milton “Buddy” Brinn Jr., 88, of Irvington and Williamsburg died peacefully at home on April 14, 2024, after a long struggle with kidney disease.
Buddy was born January 12, 1936, in Pantego, N.C., to the late Otis Milton Brinn and the late Rena Margaret Jenette Brinn.
Buddy served in the Army National Guard from October 1953 to October 1956.
After working for 10 years at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard as an electrical engineer, an industrial engineer and as a nuclear inspector, he moved to Miami, Fla., and was an electronics engineer for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Buddy loved the water. He built a 22-foot fiberglass sailboat in his backyard and launched it in the James River. His plan was to sail it around the world. Instead, he gave it to a young man who sailed it to Cuba. He renovated a deadrise fishing boat into a houseboat and captained it from Reedville down the Intercoastal Waterway to Jacksonville, Fla., and back with his wife. He enjoyed fishing and boating in the Chesapeake Bay and the local rivers.
He loved to travel and was especially fond of visiting our national parks. He loved Hawaii and the Florida Keys and hoped to live at one of the two places one day. He traveled to many countries in Europe, the Caribbean and South America.
He was a man of many talents and loved working with his hands. He built several homes, including the one he and Brenda retired to in Reedville. He took care of all repairs needed in his homes and automobiles. He also helped to build two churches—Wellspring United Methodist Church in Williamsburg and the White Stone Church of the Nazarene in White Stone.
Buddy is survived by his wife of 30 years, Brenda Kay Cheek Brinn; his daughters, Helen E. Brinn, Margaret K. Brinn and Virginia H. Brinn; his stepdaughter, Jennifer P. Gordon (Rodney E.); his sister, Sudie Brinn Early of Baskerville; and his brother, David Brinn of Chandler, Ariz.; his grandsons, Shelton Quiroz and Quinn Quiroz; his step-grandchildren, Alex T. Weisiger, Elizabeth G. Weisiger and Joel W. Rosback,
Buddy was preceded in death by his parents, Otis and Rena; and his sisters, Ann Brinn Seymour and Ruby Brinn Bandy.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
We encourage that any memorial contributions be made to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 601 Colonial Avenue, Colonial Beach, VA 22443, to help rebuild their church that was destroyed by fire in late December 2023. Also, Northern Neck Partners for Pets, NNPP, P.O. Box 361, Irvington, VA 22480, or Kilmarnock Volunteer Rescue Squad, 6 Harris Road, Kilmarnock, VA 22482.
Buddy lived a full life of fun and adventure. He had a wonderful sense of humor, a love of nature and a love of all people. Often, he would say to someone, “I Love You.” And he did!
