Marty Ewing Brininstool

Marty May Ewing Brininstool was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She grew up in Westerville, Ohio, the youngest of four children. When she was young, her only brother, Bob, was killed in the service of our country on Anzio beach. This ignited a strong patriotism, and she determined that she would name her firstborn after him.

Marty believed in education, attending Otterbein College, Miami University of Ohio, and Eastern New Mexico University, graduating with a double major in English and physical education and a master's in psychology. She married Gerald Parker "Jerry" Hawk in Westerville. They had five children.

She was a supporter of theater, music and the arts, and was always up for seeing whatever was running wherever she happened to be.

Entertaining, photography, sewing, gardening and cooking were her hobbies. Marty wrote a "Cook's Column" for the Portales New Tribune. Many a time, her family had to eat a dish "just once more" while she perfected the recipe for publication. She had a love of games and no guest was safe from playing the "game of choice" for a particular event. She went the extra mile to include everyone (whether they wanted to be or not). She developed and printed her own photographs and the family home was decorated with photos of ghost towns, covered bridges or unusual signs, such as "For Sale: The Entire Town of Madrid." Marty had an eye for the unusual. There was a traffic light, pinball machine, antique phone (main phone in the kitchen), cash register, a painted carousel horse and a juke box scattered amidst the mission style antique furniture that she appreciated.

She enjoyed playing tennis. Marty participated in and won several local tournaments. Saturday mornings were often spent playing or watching tennis. Marty was a fierce competitor who did not like to lose (a trait that she passed on to more than one of her children).

Marty was a strong supporter of a woman's right to work before it was cool to be one. She headed up the Women's Re-entry program at ENMU before moving to Carlsbad, New Mexico, where she worked as an educational diagnostician/psychologist for the Carlsbad public school system.

It was in Carlsbad that she met and married Cecil Brininstool. They lived in a large, rambling home on the Pecos River, where the backyard was decorated and illuminated for the "Christmas on the Pecos" boat rides that were an annual event for the community. She adopted New Mexico as her home state and as recently as last week was heard telling a new acquaintance that they should visit Carlsbad to see the caverns, the "Living Desert" zoo, and while they were there, they should stop by her house to say hello or spend the night.

Marty was an avid animal rights activist. Many a dog and cat have her to thank for being rescued from life on the street. Her favorite was a standard black poodle, Sir Mojo the Knight (Mojo). (But don't tell Teddy, Puffy, Lady, Amigo, Milton, Blue, Sheba, Gary, KiKo, Burt or Odessa that.)

She enjoyed excellent health, other than being a "bionic woman" (artificial joints) until her recent years when dementia began to rob her of her memories and faculties. Even then, she retained a wry sense of humor and surprised those around her with her wit.

Marty died in the early morning hours of Monday, March 12, 2018.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Harry Walter Ewing and Irma May Franklin; her brother, Robert "Bob" Edwin Ewing; her sisters, Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Trego and Nancy Ann Askins; and her husband, Cecil Brininstool. She is survived by her children Roberta "Bobbi" Jo Hawk (Vincent Raye) of Billings; Gerald Parker "GP" Hawk (Melanie Bransom) of Prairieville, Louisiana; Clayton "Clay" Ewing Hawk of Portales, New Mexico; Wesley "Wes" Spencer Hawk (Shannon Keaton) of York, Pennsylvania; and Nathan "Nate" Franklin Hawk (Jenny Rolley) of Baton Rouge. Also, Cecil Allen Brininstool (Debbie Holly) of Flower Mound, Texas; Charles Mormon Brininstool of Irving, Texas; Michael Ross Brininstool (Stacey Curtiss) of La Jolla, California; and Philip John Brininstool of The Woodlands, Texas. Grandchildren are Kevin Charles Hawk, Morgan Elizabeth Hawk, Hayden Parker Hawk, Alexandra Ann Hawk, Andrew Brininstool, Allison Marr, DeEtte Sallee, Ryan Brininstool, Russell Brininstool, Ian Brininstool, Taylor Brininstool and Stephanie Brininstool. Other surviving relatives include nephew John Ellsworth Trego, and nieces Jan Elizabeth Trego and Rebecca (Becky) Ann Askins Potts. She had four grandnephews, John Trego, Chris Trego, Victor Trego and Patrick Potts; a grandniece, Laura Potts Burghy; and three great-grandnieces, Parker, Alaina and Blair. Also three great-grandchildren: Brinkley, Haven and Aspen.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project, your favorite animal charity, or the Alzheimer's Association.

Marty was asked once what she would like as her epitaph. "She did the best she could," she decided. That's about all anyone can do.