Nancy Brooks

September 30, 1951 – May 1, 2026

A Humble American Hero

All are invited to remember Nancy at a beautiful Memorial Service

Visitation will be held June 13 from 4pm-8pm at the Boyd-Spenser Funeral Home

48 West Main St, Babylon NY

4:00pm – 5:00pm – Visitation – Paying Respects

5:00pm – 5:30pm – North Babylon Volunteer Fire Department Station 2’s Formal Tribute to Nancy

5:30pm – 6:30pm – Formal Presentation - Nancy’s Life and Her Service to Society

6:30pm – 8:00pm – Visitation – Paying of Respects

Please note: If you cannot attend the memorial in-person, please join via an internet “livestream” from 5pm to 7pm. This two hour portion will be recorded and available for download and viewing after the service. https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c26056779075216

Nancy Kadlec Brooks, 74, passed away on May 1, 2026 in Ronkonkoma, NY. She was born on September 30, 1951 in West Babylon, NY to Ed and Jean Kadlec. She is survived by her brother Greg Kadlec. Sisters Patty Kadlec Kallmeyer, and Sharon Fischer, her sons Chuck Brooks (Tracy) and Nick Brooks and grandchildren Elijah Gonzales, Tayla Brooks and Savannah Brooks.

Nancy graduated from West Babylon High School in 1970 and worked in the defense industry as a Prototype Micro Assembler Instructor for NARDA and L-3 Communications. She worked part-time for Barnes and Noble where a highlight for her job was reading at “Children’s Storytime”.

Nancy was a generous, humble, accomplished, and beautiful person who loved children; especially her sons, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, grandnieces and nephews. She dearly loved her family, friends, animals (especially German Shepherds), travel, flowers (especially with insects on them) photography and music. Nancy loved the music of Alabama and could be seen in the audiences of their shows.

Nancy was always ready to lend a helping hand, which she did with joy or comfort as the situation warranted. Her contributions to society were extensive and at times historic. Nancy had a way to make people laugh but was also a no-nonsense girl. When Nancy was around, things were organized and the mission was met.

She volunteered as a victim support person in emergency rooms, as an EMT in various settings (including 20 plus years with the North Babylon Volunteer Fire Department Station 2 and Westbury Theater / Flagstar At Westbury), and as a K9 search and rescue (SAR) handler. Nancy dedicated her time to youth, bringing comfort to children with handicaps and cancer.

Nancy was active for nearly 30 years with Ramapo Rescue Dog Association (RRDA). She helped educate youth from more than seven different states and literally thousands of adults and children she encountered at the National September 11th Memorial and Museum Community Days about professional working dogs. Many times, while traveling to Hawaii, Nancy would find the time to volunteer and help a local SAR team there.

Her first K9 search and rescue “callout” with her partner, K9 “Jazz”, was to the Fresh Kills Landfill in the aftermath of the 9/11/2001 terror attacks. She later served with K9 “Chief”, who she (at age 71) wrote and published a children’s book about him called, Growing Up To Be A Search and Rescue Dog (three more children’s books are in the works). Nancy and Chief were the search and rescue teams’ ambassadors, making countless visits to SAR events and community gatherings. K9 Chief was a crowd pleaser wherever he went.

Nancy loved this country and helped veterans in any way she could. She served as an EMT for Honor Flights, escorting WWII, Vietnam and Korean Veterans from Long Island to visit the military monuments in Washington, D.C. She loved to hear the veterans stories and made each and every one of them feel like the real hero they were. She placed flags on the graves of veterans on Memorial Day and wreaths on Christmas. She was proud to march in parades.

There was so much to Nancy and her life! Nancy left a mark on so many and will be truly missed.

Rest easy dear one. It is time to walk your dogs again.

In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Ramapo Rescue Dog Association ([email protected]), the North Babylon Volunteer Fire Department, Station 2 (www.northbabylonfire.org/content/station2)