Thomas Brinker, 76, professional ice-skater

Thomas Michael Brinker, 76, formerly of Springfield, Delaware County, a financial adviser and radio personality who was a professional ice-skater in his youth, died of complications from a stroke last Thursday at Avow Hospice in Naples, Fla.

Mr. Brinker grew up in Southwest Philadelphia and graduated from West Philadelphia Catholic High School.

A talented roller skater, he switched to ice skates as a teenager. At 16, he came in second in an Eastern States competition and the next year he skated in a Christmas show in Center City.

Mr. Brinker spent a semester at St. Joseph's University before going on tour with the Ice Capades. From 1954 to 1956, he served in the Army in Germany and performed in ice shows for military personnel. Friends nicknamed him "Hans" for the character in the children's book, Hans Brinker, or, the Silver Skates, his son Joseph said.

After his discharge in 1956, Mr. Brinker returned to the Ice Capades briefly before becoming a manufacturer's representative for an ice-skate company. He later was an insurance agent and became a financial adviser in the early 1970s.

Until retiring and moving to Naples 10 years ago, he headed the Brinker Organization, an investment-adviser and financial-planning firm in Havertown. From 1981 to 1990, he was the host of a weekly program, Financial Foresight, on WWDB-FM (96.5).

He was a certified financial planner, a chartered financial consultant, and a chartered life underwriter. He had several other financial certifications that were the equivalent of college credits, his son said. With his family's encouragement, he pursued a bachelor's degree and graduated from Eastern University in 1991.

In 1958, Mr. Brinker married Doris Carlin, with whom he raised four children. He enjoyed weekends and summer vacations in the Poconos with his family. He played tennis and golf and ice-skated with his children when they were young.

In the early 1970s, Mr. Brinker and several friends began donating holiday food baskets to five or six families. The good deed grew to become the Tom Brinker Operation Christmas Baskets, which donates 1,300 food baskets to needy families every year, his son said.

Besides his son, Mr. Brinker is survived by sons Thomas and James; a daughter, Diane; 13 grandchildren; a sister; and his former wife.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Mary Magdalen Church, 2400 N. Providence Rd., Media. Friends may call from 9. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.