Richard "Dick" Brooks

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Richard Charles Brooks, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

Richard was born on November 26, 1926 at Naeve Hospital in Albert Lea, MN. He was the son of Jesse O. Rinsem and Doris C. Brooks. Raised in Myrtle, MN, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Richard was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Richard was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Richard was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Richard also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Richard was raised with three siblings; David, Marilyn and Robert (Bob). Richard was constantly involved in activities with his family. Richard and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Richard enjoyed learning. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Richard was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Richard was painstaking and accurate in his efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. He attended Albert Lea High School and received his GED in 1947.

Richard had a good disposition for the challenges of college. He always enjoyed reading, so all of those lengthy required reading assignments seemed to be less of a burden for him. In fact, Richard seemed to absorb and remember everything he read. Not all things came easily to Richard, however, and he found success by being a diligent and accurate person who would dig into a project and work through until it reached its completion. He was very thorough and labored long and hard in order to reach his goals. He pursued graduate school, earning his Brooks Institute of Associate of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. He loved to travel “to see what was on the other side of the mountain.”

Most folks would say that Richard was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. Richard was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences. Because of this, Richard best trusted those people that he truly knew. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that he made, Richard kept. While growing up, some of his best friends were Kenny Benesh and Arlene (Funfar) Hayek. Later in life, he became friends with Wally Johnson.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Richard. On September 12, 1970 Richard married Betty Ann Chrs at Episcopal Church of Las Vegas, Nevada. He was totally committed to Betty Ann and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Richard naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Richard disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

If you gave Richard a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Richard was always on task. Without hesitation, Richard could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was as manager of Microfilm Co, Xerox. During that time, Richard excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Richard was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Richard had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Richard was a Navy veteran. He seemed to thrive on the routines offered up by the military. Being a literal thinker with a calm exterior helped him handle the rigors of the military. He was in Guam and stationed in San Diego. Richard saw action for World War II. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Photographer's Mate L Second USNR-S1 PhL2.

Richard liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Richard's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Richard preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were traveling or going out to have his martini and eat his dinner.

While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Richard often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football.

Due to his excellent organizational skills, Richard was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which he belonged. Richard could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Richard was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. Throughout his later years, Richard was an active member of the Moose Lodge.

An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, his faith was important to Richard. His compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in his personal beliefs. He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Richard had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included taking any cruise out there.

Richard had Martini, Dutchess, Bitsy, Brandy, Missy Poo, who was his best friend for over the past 41 years. Richard was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

When Richard's retirement finally arrived in 1991, he was well prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. His new life involved relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada. In retirement, he found new pleasure in watching the History and Discovery channels. Even in retirement, Richard continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

Richard passed away on August 18, 2011 at Mountain View Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada. He is survived by Betty Ann Brooks, David Rinsem, Marilyn Barsness, and his many nieces and nephews. Services were held at Palm Northwest Mortuary. Richard was laid to rest in Palm Northwest Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Richard was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Richard was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Richard Brooks was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Richard. He will be missed.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Northwest Mortuary, Las Vegas, NV.