Mrs. Ann Vorass Brinkley, 67, of Newport News, VA peacefully passed away August 24, 2015. Ann was born in Elgin, Illinois to the proud parents of Eugene A. and Dorothy R. Vorass. She was a member of St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Barrington, Illinois. Ann graduated from Lake Zurich High School, in Lake Zurich, Illinois, June 1966. Soon thereafter she joined the U.S. Army. She served during the Vietnam War as a Specialist 4. She was stationed as Permanent Party at Fort McClellan, Alabama. During her time at Fort McClellan she met her husband to be Specialist 4, Ronald T. Brinkley. The courtship blossomed and 47 years later they were still happily married with a loving daughter.

She went on to work many years in the retail industry where she loved helping so many people. Some of her other interests included; traveling, reading romance and mystery books, cross stitching beautiful pictures and Christmas ornaments, gardening with hummingbirds and lilies, cooking, and most of all being a mother & wife. Ann was a gracious and generous woman. She loved to write letters to her family and friends, each of her letters would be filled with kind words of love, encouragement and grace. For several years Ann had battled cancer and was winning. She often spoke to other cancer treatment patients and said, "If I can make it, so can you!" She realized that keeping a positive outlook on life was a special key to beating cancer, and to being happy with you yourself.

She was preceded in death by her parents and younger sister, Karen Wallace of Baraboo, Wisconsin. Ann is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Ronald T. Brinkley of Virginia and daughter Cindy Brinkley Martin of Pennsylvania, and her brothers Pat Vorass of King, Wisconsin, Tom (Judy) Vorass of Baraboo, Wisconsin and Steve Vorass also of Baraboo, Wisconsin.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Thursday, August 27, 2015 at 7 pm at Parr Funeral Home & Crematory with Reverend Tommy Reynolds officiating. Please join us afterwards for visitation. A Graveside service will be held Friday at 10 am at the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk, Virginia. The family would like to thank the staff at Sentara Hospice House in Virginia Beach for their care and compassion during her brief stay. Memorial donations may be made in her name to the Sentara Hospice House, 3760 Sentara Way, Virginia Beach, VA 23452.

Messages of comfort may be left here at www.parrfuneralhome.com