John C. Brink

John C. Brink, a longtime resident of Muncy, died on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.

Born on September 12, 1948, in Muncy, he was the son of the late Helen (Dunlap) Opp and James W. Brink.

John was a 1966 graduate of Muncy High School and earned his associates degree from Goldey-Beacom College in Delaware. He served honorably in the United States Army as a helicopter crew chief during the Vietnam War. John later retired after working 35 years for the employment office of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

He was a member of St. James Episcopal Church, Muncy.

John lived his entire life with a passion for sports that was second to none. His love of baseball and basketball started at a young age when he played Little League, intermediate baseball, American Legion baseball and for the Muncy town team in the West Branch League. His basketball career involved lettering for Muncy High School his junior and senior years.

This was only the beginning of John’s sports journey. For the past five decades, John has left a legacy on the community of Muncy and the more than 1000 games he has coached in Little League and more than 1000 games coached in Basketball. He coached Muncy Little League from 1972 to 2019, compiling over 400 wins and 13 league titles. John also coached the Muncy Varsity Girls Basketball program from 1985 to 2007, including six 20 win seasons, a Class AA District Title in 1993, and a Class A District Title in 2001. He was twice a recipient of the PIAA District IV Thomas A. Kline Sportsmanship Award presented by the Lycoming County chapter of PIAA Basketball Officials. John also helped as a coordinator for Muncy Boys Elementary Basketball from 1978 to 1988, Muncy Girls Elementary Basketball from 1981 to 2007, was the Muncy Jr. High Boys Basketball coach from 2008 to 2012 and was currently assisting with the Muncy High School Boys Basketball program since 2013.

John was elected into the Muncy High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2015 and won the Ray Keyes Sports Award in 2020 for recognition as a sports ambassador for all athletes in Lycoming County. Forever humble, he once explained honors received as meaning, “I guess you could say it is a longevity award. It means that I’ve been involved in sports and the lives of young people for a long time.”

He was an avid fan of both Penn State and the New York Yankees.

Surviving are a sister, Jane Matter and her husband, John; nephew, John Matter II; two brothers, Dave Brink and his wife, Diane, and Dan Brink and his wife, Julie; sister, Mary Harris and her husband, John; and numerous additional nieces and nephews.

A private service for the family will be held at St. James Episcopal Church, Muncy, with burial and full military honors to be held at Muncy Cemetery.

A Celebration of Life for friends and the community will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1 in the Muncy High School Gymnasium, 200 West Penn Street, Muncy.

The family will provide the flowers and suggests contributions in John’s name be made to either the John C. Brink Memorial Basketball Scholarship (please mail checks to 206 Sherman St., Muncy, PA 17756) or the St. James Episcopal Church, PO Box 276 Muncy, PA 17756.

The family is being assisted by Grenoble’s, 121 S. Main St. Muncy.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.grenoblefuneralhome.com.

During the past five decades of coaching and mentoring, victories have been plentiful, but on the scoreboard of life, John Brink can truly be called a champion.