We'll Miss You, Julie!

One of my favorite local columnists has passed away. I very much enjoyed her writing and am saddened by this news. My condolences to her family and friends.

Wednesday, Dec. 03, 2008
"PSU editor, former CDT employee Brink dead at 50"

"CDT columnist Julie Ann Brink, who brought a distinctive voice of admiration for country living to the community, died Monday. She was 50."

"(Linked are some of Julie Brink's CDT columns and some of her work at Penn State)
Marking seasons with sweet memories
Julie Brink: Raised in savoring the spoils of saving
Julie Brink: Instructor learns a few lessons of her own from undergrads
Julie Brink: Living on a farm
Julie Brink: PSU still life
Julie Brink: Packard's 'Hidden Persuaders' reminds consumers why they buy
Julie Brink: Book offers solutions on how to cope with nasty co-workers "

"Brink was a lifelong writer, working at the Centre Daily Times as an copy editor and features editor for more than 15 years before leaving in 2000 to work at Penn State.
There she was assistant manager for internal communications, wrote the occasional feature story, and taught journalism on the side.
An chronicler of rural life, Brink lived in Centre County for more than 20 years after growing up in Irvona, Clearfield County, and graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Penn State spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz, who worked with Brink for 20 years, both at the CDT and then at Penn State, said Brink was a stickler for grammar and editorial style, but a friend to everyone she worked beside.
“She’s always been so unassuming and behind the scenes — the copy editor — making other people look good,” she said.
Brink died Monday after being hospitalized with pneumonia.
“Julie and I both loved sunsets,” Mountz said. “Back in 1991 when Mount Pinatubo erupted putting dust in the air, every night in the midst of deadline she and I would get up from our desks and watch the gorgeous sunsets. Everyone else thought we were crazy.”
She was born in Philipsburg, went to Moshannon Valley High School, and is survived by her sister, Christina, of Camp Hill.
CDT senior reporter Chris Rosenblum called Brink a “conscientious and dedicated editor” who “cared deeply about good writing and good journalism.”
Christine Arbutina noted that the Book Beat page that appears in Sunday’s Life section was Brink’s brainchild.
After leaving the CDT, she continued to write columns, and in recent years produced a “Centre Life” column that appeared one Monday of each month.
“Julie’s columns always were reader favorites,” said Bob Heisse, CDT executive editor. “She was a great friend of the paper and she’ll be missed.”
Some of her columns dealt with current affairs, but many were fond recollections of her years growing up in rural Clearfield County, or observations about her life in Houserville. Earlier this year, she received an honorable mention for her work in the columns category of the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association’s Keystone Awards.
“Through her columns, CDT readers got to know a lot about Julie,” Arbutina said. “We learned about her bountiful gardens, her beloved cats, and her penchant for salvaging things old yet still useful well before such recycling became fashionable. Her vivid accounts of growing up in Clearfield County’s coal country were history lessons in 600 words or less.”
After leaving the CDT, Brink went to work for Penn State where she edited three dozen newswires a week, and had lent her talents to others by teaching a feature writing class.
“She was a wonderful teacher,” said Ford Risley, head of the department of journalism. “She really cared about the craft of writing and wanted to pass that along to students.”
CDT senior reporter Chris Rosenblum and other staff members contributed to this report. Sara Ganim can be reached at 231-4616. "

So Sayeth The Shack