Joe Milman Brooks

Joe Milman Brooks was born to Monroe and Martha (Barnes) Brooks at the Syrup Creek Ranch, Mountain Home, Idaho on October 13, 1920. He passed away on December 5, 2016 at the age of 96 in Merced, California where he was a resident for 70 years.

Joe spent a lot of summers as a young adult being a look out in the forest for fires. If he happened to spot one he would be the first person to notify and get help to the location. Joe was a man who took pride in his country. He served in the US Army during World War II for the Pacific Corps of Engineers as well as during the Korean War for the US Air Force out of Castle Air Force Base where he ended up retiring at the age of 55 as a Civil Engineer. Joe was also a real estate agent/broker for Catone Realty and Flanagan Realty Inc.

Joe owned Brooks Saddlery where he handmade/hand tooled leather belts and purses. He was most happy building saddles with his friend Art Vancore. He attended Idaho State College in Boise, Idaho and the University of Idaho in Moscow.

One of Joe’s favorite hobbies was to build and design houses and cabins. He enjoyed being outdoors, he loved the mountains, square dancing, camping, going horseback riding, roping and attending rodeos.

Joe is preceded in death by his parents, Martha A. (Barnes) Brooks and Monroe W. Brooks and his sister, Betty J. (Brooks) Johnson.

He is survived by his siblings, Bennie L. Brooks and Martha J. (Brooks) English; children, Susan A. (Brooks) Bik (Mike), Mary M. (Brooks) Bennett (Patrick) and Joseph W. Brooks (Beverly); grandchildren, Stacey (Bik) Metcalf, Patrick Bennett Jr. and Andrew Bennett; great grandchildren, Abigail Bennett, Nicholas Bennett and Brooke Metcalf .

Per the request of the family Internment is private.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home.