Granville Lee Brooks

Granville “Lee” Brooks, passed away at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home on November 14, 2012. He is survived by, a daughter Patty Simmons and husband Marty of Kernersville, a son John and wife Gail of Winston-Salem and three grandchildren: Zac and wife Joanna of Hendersonville, NC, Dan of Davidson, NC and Stephen of Manassas, VA.

Lee, being one of ten children born to Carl and Hattie Brooks lived his entire life in Winston-Salem, NC. Life was hard during the 1930’s especially for big families and as a result Lee’s work ethic was honed at an early age as the family was always in need of income. Beginning at the age of 6 he was sent away during the summers to work at rabbit and chicken farms so he could send money back home. He enjoyed his time in school and his best subject was math and writing. He was thrilled while in elementary school when the teacher asked him to help the older grade kids with their math. He gladly helped them understand fractions by comparing the numbers to money. I suppose his early affinity for monetary comparisons helped him to squeeze a dollar like no one else I know. He was always looking for a deal and was never afraid to ask for one. It was a delightful day for him when he aged into the senior citizen discounts.

Lee joined the Air Force as a teenager and began to live life pushing boundaries. When the assignment came up for him to report for a tour in Greenland he decided that environment would just be too cold for him so he grabbed a buddy and they went AWOL. He ventured down to Mexico for a few days always keeping his eye on the calendar. He planned a calculated return to turn himself in before the deadline in which he would have to go to federal prison. Of course he knew upon his return he would be court-martial and confined to the military brig but he was okay with that. Unknowingly this decision opened the door to one of the greatest blessings of his life as his next assignment was Japan. It was there that he met his beautiful bride and lifelong love, Kishie “June” Brooks. He married her in Japan but was not allowed to return to the US with June due to military regulations. Sadly but determined he returned to the US leaving behind his pregnant wife with the promise he would reunite with her there. Many months were spent tediously working through governmental bureaucracies to get June and their newly born daughter Patty to the United States. It was a great day for him when June finally arrived in the states and he got to hold his daughter, Patty in his arms for the first time.

After leaving the military Lee had the great fortune to return to his job at RJ Reynolds. He loved his work there as a chief mechanic as it fit right into his abilities to work on and tinker with about anything. His work at Reynolds spanned 37.25 years and he said that during that time he thought he held the record for being fired and hired right back again. You see he had his share of disagreement with folks and he was not one to let someone get away with something. He valued fairness and doing what was right even if his way of getting that idea across was through the unconventional use of his fist.

He was a man who lived life to its fullest, squeezing out every adventure that could be had at any particular moment. A familiar refrain was, “have I ever told you the story about…” The stories he had to tell often left us wondering whether a story was really true - because his adventures were not like most. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, gardener and napper. He learned to hunt out of necessity with his father and brothers – from rabbits, squirrels, doves, and even blackbirds (for blackbird pie). His love for hunting endured through the fruitless years hunting deer with his brother Rob, to the bountiful years with friend, Wayne Warden. Not only was he good with a rifle and shotgun but also with a bow and arrow. Fishing was another passion that he enjoyed with his brothers Jim and Gene, and with June. He loved to pier fish with June and they enjoyed going for pier records of the biggest flounder or puppy drum. Never wanting to spoil a teaching moment, just last week he took his last pier walk and stopped to tell a fisherman the correct way to skin a toad fish to get out all the meat. His stories were filled with adventures and misadventures of hunting, fishing and life in general. He hardly met a stranger, and if he did it just gave him an opportunity to share an amazing Lee Brooks story.

To know Lee Brooks was to know how much he loved his grandsons. He taught them so many things, offered so much advice (some good, some not so much, I might add) but in all loved them fully. He treasured his time spent with them and gave them many Lee “Brooksism” to carry forward in life to their own children. He will remain firmly woven in all our hearts and it was with grateful and blessed hearts that he left us to go be home with Jesus and reunited with June. Well done Paw Paw…

The family would like to thank Bayada Home Health Care especially Carvena Brown for her compassionate and loving care also KBR Hospice, especially Susan, Jan and Christy who attended his last days and Melissa and Carmen who served the family for months and lastly our Friday Nurses and staff at WSHC..Margaret, Robin and Jenny…you meant the world to him and were a bright spot for him every week with acts of love and service (including those “little cans of drink” and warm blankets) and gracious hugs. The family will be ever grateful for each of your kindnesses.

The family will visit with friends on Saturday, November 17 at Voglers Funeral Home 2951Reynolda Rd. from 3-5.