Larry Don Brooks

Larry Don Brooks, born on October 19, 1960, in Fayetteville, AR, a true son of Northwest Arkansas, passed away on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the age of 65. To know Larry was to know a man who never sat still. If he wasn’t on his tractor or planting a garden, he was helping a neighbor or, most likely, out fishing.

Larry’s journey began in Fayetteville, where he started working early. He grew up with a wrench in his hand and a love for the outdoors. He was a bright and driven young man who finished high school at just 16 years old and was cooking at Bonanza before he was even old enough to drive himself to his shifts. In his younger years, he also spent many weekends at Beaver Lake Speedway, learning the arts of welding and painting cars while working on race cars with his stepfather, Roy.

His love for animals and the land defined much of his life. Larry was an accomplished horseman who trained and raised horses and spent years hunting on horseback through the mountains of East Fayetteville. He was also a respected competitor in coonhound treeing competitions. When he wasn’t in the woods or the shop, you could find him with a fishing pole in his hand, equally content on the shores of a local lake or at the edge of the ocean.

Larry’s legacy is one of hard work and mentorship. As a CDL driver for Pepsi and McKee, he was known as a patient and proud trainer who truly cared about the success of those he taught. Larry took immense professional pride not just in his own skills, but in mentoring and training others, finding great joy in seeing his colleagues succeed.

A man of many passions, Larry was happiest when working with his hands—whether woodworking, welding, training horses, cooking on the smoker, hosting fish fries, or working on the family farm. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Above all, Larry was a family man. He leaves behind his wife, Ann; his son, Damian, and his wife, Cassandra; and his granddaughter, Kailani, who was the light of his life. He is also survived by his sister, Annette, and her husband, Shawn Powers, along with his niece, Bailey Powers. He joins his mother, Norma; his stepfather, Roy; and his brother, Billy Dale, in rest.