Deacon Frank Brooks, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home Saturday, September 10, 2016. He was born April 6, 1937 in Coahoma, Mississippi, the son of Frank and Ida Brooks, Sr. His family moved to Chicago, IL in 1943 and as a teenager he attended a trade school studying auto mechanics. He joined the United States Army in 1957, serving until 1959 in Automotive Maintenance, when he received an Honorary Discharge.
In 1968 he moved from Chicago to Kalamazoo, MI. He began working for Checker Motors. He retired in 1999 after 32 years of service. He became a faithful member of M. Zion Baptist Church in July 1979, where he served as a Trustee, Deacon and Chairman of The Deacons, head of Transportation and many other mentor roles. He was very dependable.
On October 13, 1998 he married Helen Barbee.
He loved his hobbies of working on cars, rebuilding engines, driving sports cars (racing), working in his garden and yard meticulously, and building and flying radio airplanes.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank, Sr. and Ida Brooks; a brother, Willie Brooks; and his wife, Doris Brooks.
Surviving are his wife, Helen Brooks; four daughters, Queen (Arthur) Najeullah of Atlanta, GA, Celestine Brooks of Chicago, IL, Sonia Wilkerson and Claudia Barbee of Kalamazoo, MI; three sons, Frank Thomas of Illinois, Donald (Ruby) Barbee of Douglasville, GA, Darwin J. Barbee of Kalamazoo, MI; two God-children, Stephanie Edwards of Lansing, MI, Tony Smith of Kalamazoo, MI; one sister, Charlie Mae Brooks of Kalamazoo, MI; one brother, Garnett Brooks of Chicago, IL; four sisters-in-law, Bernice McKinley, Marion Dixon, Evelyn Coleman, and Pauline Gardner, of Kalamazoo, MI; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. And two special friends he grew up with in Chicago, IL, Roy Mines and Sylvester Barton.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Frank J. Brooks Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store.
Cemetery Details
Mt. Ever-Rest Cemetery
3941 S. Westnedge Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI,
In 1968 he moved from Chicago to Kalamazoo, MI. He began working for Checker Motors. He retired in 1999 after 32 years of service. He became a faithful member of M. Zion Baptist Church in July 1979, where he served as a Trustee, Deacon and Chairman of The Deacons, head of Transportation and many other mentor roles. He was very dependable.
On October 13, 1998 he married Helen Barbee.
He loved his hobbies of working on cars, rebuilding engines, driving sports cars (racing), working in his garden and yard meticulously, and building and flying radio airplanes.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank, Sr. and Ida Brooks; a brother, Willie Brooks; and his wife, Doris Brooks.
Surviving are his wife, Helen Brooks; four daughters, Queen (Arthur) Najeullah of Atlanta, GA, Celestine Brooks of Chicago, IL, Sonia Wilkerson and Claudia Barbee of Kalamazoo, MI; three sons, Frank Thomas of Illinois, Donald (Ruby) Barbee of Douglasville, GA, Darwin J. Barbee of Kalamazoo, MI; two God-children, Stephanie Edwards of Lansing, MI, Tony Smith of Kalamazoo, MI; one sister, Charlie Mae Brooks of Kalamazoo, MI; one brother, Garnett Brooks of Chicago, IL; four sisters-in-law, Bernice McKinley, Marion Dixon, Evelyn Coleman, and Pauline Gardner, of Kalamazoo, MI; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. And two special friends he grew up with in Chicago, IL, Roy Mines and Sylvester Barton.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Frank J. Brooks Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store.
Cemetery Details
Mt. Ever-Rest Cemetery
3941 S. Westnedge Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI,
Deacon Frank Brooks, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home Saturday, September 10, 2016. He was born April 6, 1937 in Coahoma, Mississippi, the son of Frank and Ida Brooks, Sr. His family moved to Chicago, IL in 1943 and as a teenager he attended a trade school studying auto mechanics. He joined the United States Army in 1957, serving until 1959 in Automotive Maintenance, when he received an Honorary Discharge.
In 1968 he moved from Chicago to Kalamazoo, MI. He began working for Checker Motors. He retired in 1999 after 32 years of service. He became a faithful member of M. Zion Baptist Church in July 1979, where he served as a Trustee, Deacon and Chairman of The Deacons, head of Transportation and many other mentor roles. He was very dependable.
On October 13, 1998 he married Helen Barbee.
He loved his hobbies of working on cars, rebuilding engines, driving sports cars (racing), working in his garden and yard meticulously, and building and flying radio airplanes.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank, Sr. and Ida Brooks; a brother, Willie Brooks; and his wife, Doris Brooks.
Surviving are his wife, Helen Brooks; four daughters, Queen (Arthur) Najeullah of Atlanta, GA, Celestine Brooks of Chicago, IL, Sonia Wilkerson and Claudia Barbee of Kalamazoo, MI; three sons, Frank Thomas of Illinois, Donald (Ruby) Barbee of Douglasville, GA, Darwin J. Barbee of Kalamazoo, MI; two God-children, Stephanie Edwards of Lansing, MI, Tony Smith of Kalamazoo, MI; one sister, Charlie Mae Brooks of Kalamazoo, MI; one brother, Garnett Brooks of Chicago, IL; four sisters-in-law, Bernice McKinley, Marion Dixon, Evelyn Coleman, and Pauline Gardner, of Kalamazoo, MI; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. And two special friends he grew up with in Chicago, IL, Roy Mines and Sylvester Barton.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Frank J. Brooks Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store.
Cemetery Details
Mt. Ever-Rest Cemetery
3941 S. Westnedge Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI,
In 1968 he moved from Chicago to Kalamazoo, MI. He began working for Checker Motors. He retired in 1999 after 32 years of service. He became a faithful member of M. Zion Baptist Church in July 1979, where he served as a Trustee, Deacon and Chairman of The Deacons, head of Transportation and many other mentor roles. He was very dependable.
On October 13, 1998 he married Helen Barbee.
He loved his hobbies of working on cars, rebuilding engines, driving sports cars (racing), working in his garden and yard meticulously, and building and flying radio airplanes.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank, Sr. and Ida Brooks; a brother, Willie Brooks; and his wife, Doris Brooks.
Surviving are his wife, Helen Brooks; four daughters, Queen (Arthur) Najeullah of Atlanta, GA, Celestine Brooks of Chicago, IL, Sonia Wilkerson and Claudia Barbee of Kalamazoo, MI; three sons, Frank Thomas of Illinois, Donald (Ruby) Barbee of Douglasville, GA, Darwin J. Barbee of Kalamazoo, MI; two God-children, Stephanie Edwards of Lansing, MI, Tony Smith of Kalamazoo, MI; one sister, Charlie Mae Brooks of Kalamazoo, MI; one brother, Garnett Brooks of Chicago, IL; four sisters-in-law, Bernice McKinley, Marion Dixon, Evelyn Coleman, and Pauline Gardner, of Kalamazoo, MI; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. And two special friends he grew up with in Chicago, IL, Roy Mines and Sylvester Barton.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Frank J. Brooks Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store.
Cemetery Details
Mt. Ever-Rest Cemetery
3941 S. Westnedge Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI,
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