Mary Jean was born June 5, 1931, to Leo and Ann (Peterson) Starosta, in Ashland, WI. She was the eldest of 3 children and spent her childhood and early adult life in Ashland.

She graduated Valedictorian of DePadua High School in 1949, and went on to nursing school in Marshfield, WI, earning a degree as a Registered Nurse. She then went on to do her internship at Ft. Meade VA Hospital in South Dakota. There she met and married Daryl E. Brink in 1953. To that union, 4 children were born, Larry, Daryla, Claireen, and DeWayne.

Dad's army service led them to several cities where Mom continued working as an RN. Mom and her 4 children moved back to South Dakota in 1961 to start her 25 year career at the Ft. Meade VA Hospital.

She married Jim Conklin in 1971 and gave birth to a son, Tal, in 1972. In 1984, they moved to Sitka, Alaska, to start her 12 year career in Community Health Service. In 1996, mom retired and moved back to Sturgis, where she remained until moving to a nursing facility in Rapid City, SD.

Mom was a devout Catholic and was very active in the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church as well as the St. Gregory Catholic Church in Sitka.

Mom was an extraordinary woman who raised her 5 children on her own. She was proud of her Polish/Irish heritage. She had a beautiful voice and loved to sing in high school and in her church choirs, even recording a single in high school. She was involved in the theater group at Ft. Meade and enjoyed entertaining her patients as well as the community.

In her later years, mom suffered from severe dementia and slowly forgot her family and friends. But every now and then, there was that little "spark" that let you know she was with you in her own special way.

Mary Jean Conklin, our mother, went peacefully to the Lord on October 13, 2016.

She is survived by her 5 children, Larry (Darlene) Brink of Virginia Beach, VA, Daryla Sandy of Whitewood, SD, Claireen (Chuck) Spring of Union Center, SD, DeWayne (Roxanne) Brink of Houlton, ME, and Tal Conklin of Joliet, MT; her brother, Richard (Shirley) Starosta of Ashland WI; 21 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Mom was preceded in death by her parents, Leo and Ann Starosta; her brother, John Starosta, and his wife, Darlene; and an infant son, Joseph.

Visitation will be Tuesday, October 18th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 19, 2016, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Sturgis with Father Timothy Castor officiating. Interment will be at St. Aloysius Cemetery.

A memorial has been established.