Marion Brooks Obituary, Death – Marion F. Brooks, affectionately known by his grandchildren as “Grumpy,” died on Saturday. In 1927, he was the second of five children born to Hobert and Nina Brooks. In the pecking order, his older sister Nina Jean, younger brothers Merle and Jerry, and youngest sister Linda came before him. He attended Mt. Baker High School and graduated there. Marion began her career in maintenance at the Columbia Cement Plant and eventually worked as a welder before retiring after 28 years of service. His more junior coworkers were forced to listen to his witty poetry and sound advice, and they started calling him “Dad.”
Marion married Voleene Burch in 1949, and the couple recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They had four children: Lee Brooks (married to Arlene), who lives in Bellingham; Larry Brooks (married to Jennie), who lives in Sumas; Nancy Brooks (married to Tony), who lives in Lynden; and Judy Bakke (married to Tony), who lives in Lynden. Marion enjoyed going fishing with his family and hunting with his sons and grandsons. He also liked to spend time with his family. Because of his reputation as a poet and his writings, he was commonly referred to as “The Poet.” His wife, both of his parents, two of his brothers, one of his sisters, and two of his grandchildren, Eddie and Bobby Brooks, all died before him. After his death, his children, nine grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and a large number of other relatives are all left behind.
A memorial service will be held at Gillies Funeral Home on Saturday, November 25, 2017, at 2:00 PM. Following the service, a graveside committal will be held at Lakeside Cemetery in Lynden. Friends and family are cordially invited. Your thoughts and memories will be greatly appreciated in the online guestbook at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com. Lynden’s Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services have been tasked with making the necessary arrangements.
