Merle Jurden Brinkman

Merle Jurden Brinkman, 105, lifetime resident of Belgrade Township, passed away Tuesday, October 28, 2025 from natural causes.

Merle (family name Flip) was born July 21, 1920, in Mankato to Jurden and Lea (Whitten) Brinkman. After graduating from Mankato High School, he, along with friends, relatives, including future wife Lathea Laase, moved to southern California to work in the wartime aircraft manufacturing industry.

Merle and Lathea were married on June 14, 1942 in Inglewood, California, where he worked until enlisting in the Army Air Forces at the age of 21.

Merle's WWII wartime service began as a school-trained Morse Code Radio Operator which rapidly afforded him the rank of Technical Sergeant (T/Sgt E-6). He was assigned to a B-24 Heavy Bomber crew. His airplane, the Bugs Bunny, so named by Command Pilot Wells Wescott, came complete with Bugs Bunny nose art.

His crew trained stateside, then flew the aircraft to South America, and on to northern Africa and finally to England, where they were assigned to an 8th Air Force Heavy Bombardment Group. When more than 70% of heavy bomber crews were killed, MIA, or POWs, this virtually intact aircrew and airplane completed all thirty required missions. Each air crewman was subsequently awarded the two highest Air Force medals: The Air Medal and The Distinguished Flying Cross.

After World War II Merle and Lathea returned to the Brinkman family farm in rural North Mankato where they raised four children. But that and full-time farming wasn't enough. In addition to working part-time at ADC St. Peter, Merle spent 22 years as the Belgrade township Motor Grader/Snowplow Operator, and 26 years on the MN State and Nicollet County ASCS committees. Still not enough, Merle and Lathea along with their many, many, good friends, neighbors, and relatives, enjoyed ballroom and square dancing, fishing, hunting, bike riding, and golfing. Merle didn’t start golfing until his 70s but managed to hit a hole-in-one at Terrace View! Merle and Lathea also spent endless winters in Arizona and Hawai'i.

At age 94, Merle was able to participate in Honor Flight, the nationwide free program that flies WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans to Washington DC to tour the memorials. It was a long day. The flight home saw the exhausted young guides napping, but the wide-awake old veterans couldn't stop talking.

Merle was able to remain on the family farm until the last few years of his life which were then spent in Assisted Living. A heartfelt thank you to all the caregivers at New Perspective and Oak Terrace.

He is survived by:

• Son, Barry Brinkman of Vadnais Heights (former spouse Gwen Plaster of Maplewood)
  1. Grandchildren: Christine Brinkman, Bryan Brinkman, Jason Brinkman
  2. Great-grandchild: Andrew Brinkman
• Son, Steven (Christine) Brinkman of Eden Prairie
  1. Grandchildren: Andrea Brinkman and Matthew Brinkman
• Daughter, Ann Hultgren Freier of Lake Crystal
  1. Grandchildren: Lisa (Jason) Haban, Bradley Freier, Katie (Patrick) Slater, and granddaughter-in-law, Jessica Hultgren
  2. Great-grandchildren: Mason Hultgren, Gage Hultgren, Tyrus Hultgren, Emily Haban, Addison Haban, Max Freier, Kole Freier
• Daughter, Janet Hubbard Anderson of Good Thunder
  1. Grandchildren: Aaron (Tina Schlumpberger) Hubbard, and Stacey Rupert
  2. Great-grandchildren: Mykel Hubbard, Emma Hubbard, Riley Rupert, Ace Rupert
• And many nieces and nephews, including the Laase families in Minnesota, the Brinkman/McGill families in California, and the Horrell families in California and Oregon.
  
  He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Eugene; wife Lathea; grandson, Christopher Hultgren; grandson-in-law, Jack Rupert, Jr; and son-in-law, Richard “Ric” Anderson.
  
  

A celebration of life will be held from 1-4pm, Saturday, January 24, 2026 at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary (2060 Commerce Drive, North Mankato, MN 56003).