04/17/1977
J. Will Brooks, one of 12 children born to S.N. and Allie Davies Brooks, was born in Marion County, Iowa, near Knoxville, on July 28, 1910. He died at his home in
Hickory Hills, Ill., on April 17, 1977.
Funeral services were held on April 20 from the First United Methodist Church with Dr. Leonard E. Deaver officiating.
The burial was in Graceland Cemetery under the direction of Williams Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Robert D. Brooks, Kenneth Miller, David Brooks, Charles Brooks, Marvin Brooks and J.C. Brubaker. Midge Brooks and Mary Jo Brooks were flower attendants.
Mrs. Richard Hunt, the soloist, was accompanied by Mrs. Lois Anderson, the organist.
As a boy, J Will Brooks attended the Valley Country school and graduated from Knoxville high school.
On October 26, 1933, he was united in marriage to Dorothy Rozenburg of Pella at Waterloo. They had three children.
The family lived in Knoxville where Brooks was employed at Allis Chalmers, Goff & Nash and several other businesses.
In the summer of 1956, the family moved to Tama where they operated a grocery store
for 14 years. He retired in March of 1970 and moved to Hickory Hills. While the
family lived in Knoxville they were members of the First United Methodist Church.
At the time of his death, Brooks was a member of the Oak Lawn United Methodist Church
of Oak Lawn, Ill. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Charles,
who died in infancy; three sisters, Margrite and Vieva, both who died in infancy,and Faye Miller.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy of Hickory Hills, Ill.; two sons, Lyle, of Oak Lawn, IL., and Jay, at home; one daughter,
Mrs. Jim (Betty) Mitchell of Knoxville; six grandchildren and one great-grandson; three brothers,
Ray, John and Jess, all of Knoxville; four sisters, Mrs. J.C. (Hazel) Brubaker and
Mrs. Warren (Bernice) Macklem of Knoxville, Mary Beaman of Dallas and Waunetta Towson of Missouri.