William M. "Bill" Brooks

12/22/1925 - 2/4/2013

Born in 1925 In Payson, Utah, Bill grew up in adjacent Lake Shore, his paradise. The family farm and its chores, one-room school house and cousins filled his days. Fishing in Utah Lake was Bill’s favorite activity while summer work in sugar beets provided income. Other times, the solitude of the small farm house was rewarding while Bill sketched figures from newspaper sports pages and took in the kitchen aromas.

In 1943, Bill entered the U.S. Navy V-12 Program at Pocatello, Idaho, where he boxed, played football and played sax in the band. In 1945 he was commissioned as Ensign US Navy at Northwestern University. His tour of duty was the Asian Pacific as a radar officer, followed by his discharge in August 1946. Bill returned to Utah, earned a physics degree from BYU, studied architecture at USC and earned an engineering degree from University of California.

In 1948 he married Valletta Fullmer, pursued college studies and eventually settled in Fresno beginning his professional career in 1953. He was a registered structural engineer, licensed civil engineer and licensed architect. After working for other engineering firms, in 1975 Bill founded William M. Brooks, Inc., now Brooks Ransom Associates. He practiced 45 years and retired in 1998. The project of which Bill was fondest was his structural design of the Fresno County Court House. In 1967, Valletta died, leaving Bill to raise their three sons.

Many remember Coach Brooks, Little League baseball coach for ten years. He played every boy three innings a game and stressed teaching skills and confidence, not winning at any cost. The reward for playing fair was a number of championships and many long term friendships.

Bill is remembered as a strong father, mentor, true husband but most of all for his humility and fairness. Mentoring an engineering protégé gave Bill satisfaction: That meant each knew his work.

In 1989, Bill married Janet Flynn. They enjoyed family, friends, tennis, their kitchen, travel, following the USC Trojans, walking Pismo Beach and Bill’s daily dose of sporting news from the Los Angeles Times.

Bill was predeceased by his parents, Bertha and Henry Brooks, his brothers Ray and Burton Brooks, his sister, Theo Graves and his wife Valletta Brooks.

Bill leaves his wife Janet, his son Brian, son Troy and his wife Jenny, son Barry and his wife Lynnell, five grandchildren, two great grandchildren; step children, Christopher Flynn, Shannon Varunok, Erin Hansen Kevin Flynn, eight step grandchildren and two step great grandchildren.

Sunrise Senior Living provided Bill loving long term care, for which his family is most grateful.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, March 1, 2013 at 1:00 p.m., at St. Paul Newman Center, Fresno.

Remembrances in the name of William Brooks can be made to St. Agnes Hospice, Alzheimer’s Association or The Salvation Army.