Master Sergeant James "Jim" N. Brinkley

Master Sergeant James N. ‘Jim’ Brinkley, 61, of Kansas City, Kansas, escaped from his earthly pain on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, surrounded by his loving family and friends. Born in Kansas City, Kansas on August, 21, 1960, he was a lifelong Kansas City, Kansas Resident, graduating from J. C. Harmon High School in 1978. From an early age, Jim dreamed of becoming a Policeman, and after his graduation, he fulfilled that dream by becoming a Cadet for the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, which began his lifelong career in Law Enforcement. He served in many units within the KCKPD, including Traffic, Vice, Narcotics, and most recently, he served as the Training Master Sergeant for the Police Academy. Jim received many awards and accolades during his tenure, including the Valor Award from KCKPD in 2000 and the Silver Award for Valor from KMBC-TV and Metropolitan Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Association in 2001. Additionally, he was proud to earn his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Northfield University in 2008. Jim retired in 2012, after serving the department for 34 years. After his retirement from the police department, Jim went on to serve in the Codes Enforcement Unit of the city; retiring from that department as a Supervisor in 2020.

Jim was a very outgoing individual. He never met a stranger- anyone he befriended was soon considered family and he befriended people everywhere he went. He was energetic, loved to laugh and tell stories, and was always the life of the party. He will be fondly remembered by everyone for the many parties, get togethers, Christmas Eve gatherings and dinners he hosted throughout the years. He loved to play pool and karaoke. He also loved life, and was always willing to share that love with everyone. Since Jim was a boy, he loved minibikes, fast cars and motorcycles, which he continued to love until the day he passed this life. Jim was an accomplished Pilot, a talented trumpet player and he loved fishing and spending weekends at the lake. He loved his family and was especially fond of his nieces and grandchildren. He spent a good amount of his free time attending every sporting and school event that he could. He was raised in the Metropolitan Avenue United Methodist Church, and he loved Our Lord. Jim was a member of The Blue Knights, a member and former President of Kansas Association of Code Enforcement and a member of The Fraternal Order of Police.

Jim was preceded in death by parents, James K Brinkley and Susan Mary (VanHooser) Brinkley, and 1 son, Robert Stonner.

Jim loved all of his family and friends, and he will live on in the memories of everyone who knew and loved him, including his 4 surviving children, Valerie Meade and her husband Torrey, Mark Stonner and his wife Terri, Lynn O’Brien and her husband David, and Melissa Divi and her husband Johnny; 2 brothers, Wayne Brinkley and his wife, Colleen, and Joel Brinkley and his wife, Angie; 8 grandchildren, Therron Meade, Zachary Meade, Ariana Stonner, Naleyla Stonner, David O’Brien, Madison O’Brien, Cheyenne Craft and Maemee Divi; 3 nieces, Mary Brinkley, Amanda Brinkley and Jazmine Brinkley; along with countless friends he considered his family.

Services will be 10:00 AM Tuesday, October 26th, at the Chapel Hill-Butler Funeral Home, 701 North 94th Street in Kansas City, Kansas. Entombment, with Police Honors will follow in Chapel Hill Mausoleum. Visitation will be from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Monday, October 25th, at the funeral home. Jim's family invites everyone to wear their favorite Harley Davidson Shirt.

His years in this life were unfairly short, but a light that shines strong only lasts for so long.