Donald C. Brooks Sr.

Donald C. Brooks, Sr., 87, passed away peacefully at home on Friday,

July 25, 2014. He was born in Middletown, Connecticut on September 17, 1926,

the son of the late Clifford E. and Nora Mae (Gorman) Brooks of Moodus, Connecticut.

Don was a member of the Class of 1944 at Nathan Hale-Ray High School

where he was recognized for his outstanding baseball ability as a left-handed

pitcher. In addition to playing on his high school baseball team, he also played

for the Moodus Noises, a team in the Middlesex County League, and was also offered an

opportunity to try out for the Philadelphia Athletics, a professional baseball team.

After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and proudly

served his country on the USS Howard W. Gilmore in Key West, Florida during World

War II, after being stationed in Winter Harbor Maine.

Upon discharge from the Navy in 1947, he joined the Naval Reserves and began his

41 year career in the printing field at UARCO (United Autograph Register Company) in Deep River,

Connecticut, where he worked his way up through the ranks from an entry level job as a buffer

to being the General Foreman of six different departments - Composition Room, Press Room,

Finishing Department, Storage and Receiving, Quality Control, and Purchasing - before retiring in 1988.

In 1949, Don married the love of his life, Lena (Nigosanti) Brooks, and together

they enjoyed 62 wonderful years of marriage before her passing in 2011.

Don loved his family, his community, and his country and spent countless hours volunteering for community,

civic,and patriotic events.He was extremely proud to be a resident of Old Saybrook for over 60 years and took great

pride in being a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

In addition to his parents and his wife, Don was predeceased by his infant son, John; sister-in-law, Mary Cox;

brothers-in law: Carlo Viggiano, Frank Fanfrlik, and Walter Cox; and nephews, Ronald Fanfrlik and William Cox.

Don is survived by his daughter, Donna Jones; his son, Donald Brooks, Jr.; his grandson, Christopher Jones;

his sister, Peggy Viggiano; his sister-in-law, Inez Fanfrlik, several nieces: Candy Marien and her daughter Cory,

Sandra Doerrer and her family, Mary Ellen Viggiano and Diana Fanfrlik; Kathy Johns and her family; and many dear friends.

Don was a man of great personal integrity - a genuine, humble man with a loving heart who will be missed by

all who were fortunate enough to know him and whose lives were touched by his kindness and gentle spirit.

His funeral will take place on Wednesday, July 30th at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Church, 161 Main Street,

Old Saybrook. Calling hours will be Tuesday from 4-8p.m. at Swan Funeral Home in Old Saybrook.

Donations in his memory can be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria,

VA 22312 or www.diabetes.org or Make-a-Wish America, 4742 North 24th Street, Suite 400, Phoenix, AZ 85016

or www.wish.org Please visit www.swanfuneralhomeoldsaybrook.com for online tributes and condolences.