Colonel Don Godfrey Brooke USAF Ret.

Colonel Don Godfrey Brooke (USAF ret.) passed away peacefully February 25, 2020 at his home surrounded by his family. A celebration service will be conducted at the Abbey Chapel at Resthaven Funeral Home in Lubbock, Texas, 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4th. Interment will follow with full military honors. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Born in Wellington, Texas May 13, 1928, he was the youngest son of Grady C. Brooke and Juno Godfrey Brooke. His family moved to a farm in Olton, Texas in 1931 and later to Lubbock in 1940. Don Godfrey graduated from Lubbock High School in 1945 and attended Texas Tech until he joined the United States Air Force in 1948. Don Godfrey attained many goals during his 91 years, but his greatest achievement was his military career. He served honorably as a pilot during the Korean War, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. He flew 13 types of aircraft, but his primary aircraft was the B-52 Stratofortress. He logged more than 10,000 hours of pilot time during his 22 years of service to his country.

After returning from Korea, Don Godfrey married Gayle Walters July 4, 1952 and they had 3 children: Gaye Glasscock, Gari Lugar, Greg Brooke. He was very proud of his 7 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. They all received unconditional love from their “PawPaw the Mountain Man.”

Don Godfrey designed and built his beloved cabin in the Colorado Rockies in 1983 where he spent many gratifying weeks and months with family and friends. He enjoyed snow skiing, chopping firewood, riding motorcycles, and cooking breakfasts in the woods.

He and Gayle enjoyed their retirement years in Lubbock and later moved to Midland, Texas in 2014.

Don Godfrey was intensely curious and took pride in the fact that he could fix anything and build anything. He had a bigger than life personality. He was honest, punctual, patriotic, intelligent, witty, and friendly. He will be greatly missed.