retired funeral director and owner, Brooks Funeral Homes, Mount Pleasant and Connellsville, Pennsylvania, died January 24, 2022, at age 91.
Brooks graduated from Eckles School of Embalming in Philadelphia. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean War (1952-54). Following his service, he joined his father and sister in the family funeral business as a fourth-generation funeral director.
Brooks was a member of King Solomon’s Lodge 346 Free and Accepted Masons, Valley of Uniontown Scottish Rite Freemasons, Royal Arch Chapter 282, St. Omer’s Commandry, the Syria Shrine and the Odd Fellows.
He was a past member and past president of Connellsville Rotary Club, past member of Indian Creek Valley Lions Club, life member of BPO Elks 503 of Connellsville and a continuing member of the Connellsville Chamber of Commerce. He also belonged to the Connellsville Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion.
Brooks had a role in the establishment of the very first Prearranged Burial Trust in Pennsylvania through Microdata Systems Inc., a company he co-founded and that is still in operation today. He was a member of the Southwestern Funeral Directors Association, Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association and NFDA. For many years, his firms were the only local members of Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Brooks was also a part-owner of Green Ridge Memorial Park in Connellsville.
He is survived by children Lisa, David, Richard, Mark, Rebecca, Amy, Melissa and Susan; 14 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.