Homer Cloyd Brooks, Jr
Homer Cloyd Brooks Jr., 69, of Ephrata, passed away peacefully on January 16, 2010, at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee from complications due to cancer.
He was born in Pueblo, Co. on March 15, 1940 to Homer Cloyd Brooks and Ethel Rachael (Greening) Brooks. He was very proud of his Native American heritage, with Pueblo and Apache roots.
Because his father was in the Air Force and Marines, the family moved often during Homer’s early years. They lived in Ephrata from l948-58 while his father was stationed at Larsen Air Force Base. Homer was involved in Boy Scouts, served as an altar boy at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, and attended Ephrata Public Schools. He played football all four years at Ephrata High School.
Right after graduating from Ephrata High in 1958, Homer joined the Navy. He played football for the Navy for four years. As a Chief he served as part of the crew that flew AWACs from aircraft carriers. He completed four tours of duty in Vietnam, including during the Tet Offensive. He taught math and digital electronics in Norman, Okla. while he was in the Navy.
After being honorably discharged in 1968, Homer went to work for Boeing. He worked at various plants in the Seattle area and did laser and maser research at Boeing’s Mt. Si facility.
He left Boeing and worked in auto sales in the Seattle area for a few years. During that time he met Rena Rosemary Rodriguez, and they were married in Burien, Wa. on December 31, 1978.
Homer returned to Boeing and worked there until his retirement in 1998. Throughout his career with that company, he worked at facilities in the Seattle area and southern California, working in aviation digital electronics support for computer engineering.
After retiring from Boeing, he continued to work for two years at Boeing’s Mesa, Ariz. plant. Then he worked for the Mesa Unified School District with special needs children as a bus aide.
Homer enjoyed trapshooting and was a member of the Pacific International Trapshooting Association and the Amateur Trapshooting Association. He and Rena traveled throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada, participating in various competitions.
Homer also held a camouflage belt in the American Taekwondo Association. He enjoyed golfing, white-water rafting, and was a scratch bowler. He hunted bear with a bow and raised and sold hunting dogs. Homer was an avid reader and had an amazing vocabulary.
Although his time in the Navy and his work with Boeing took him many places, he always regarded Ephrata as his home. The family returned to the area to live in 2007, and Homer really enjoyed attending his 50th class reunion at Ephrata High School in 2008.
Homer was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ephrata.
He is survived by his wife Rena; son Cloyd Dwayne Brooks of Rosesharn, Texas; daughter Sabrina Marie Collier and her husband Roman of Madisonville, Texas; grandchildren Roman, James, and Destiny Collier; son Jared Mikhail Brooks and his wife Angela Louise of Ephrata; grandchildren Mikhail, Ashton, and Chastity Brooks; brother Stephen Richard Brooks of Arizona; step-father John D. Herbrandson of Rosarita Beach, Mexico; an uncle, James Greening of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and an aunt, Hazel of Ohio. He is also survived by numerous other aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 22, at noon at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ephrata. There will be a reception at the church following the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. N., PO Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109.
Arrangements are in care of Benson Family Funeral Services.