Obituary of Raymond A. Brooks

Raymond A. Brooks, 88, of Gail Lane, passed away Sunday morning at the Albany Medical Center with his loving family at his side. Born March 16, 1921 in Amsterdam, New York, he was the son of the late Nicodemus and Grazia Greco Bruzzeze Brooks. He lived in Amsterdam until 1954 when he moved to Latham. Ray graduated in 1940 from the Wilbur H. Lynch High School and in 1946 he received his Bachelor of Science in Diesel Engineering from the McKinley - Roosevelt Educational Institution in Chicago. He was a U.S. Army Air Force Veteran of WWII and was a Pearl Harbor survivor. For 35 years Ray was employed as an Engineer for the Norton Company in Waterveliet, NY retiring in 1985. Ray was a charter member of the Colonie Elks Lodge No. 2192; he was a past President and past Treasurer of the Norton Troy Retiree Club and member of the N.R.A. He had a passion for music and started the Ray Brooks Orchestra which played in the Amsterdam area. Ray loved spending time with his grandchildren and enjoyed working in his vegetable garden, photography, old WWII planes and just fixing things. On August 30, 1969 he married the former Patricia A. O?Brien. Besides his wife of 40 years he is survived by two sons, Raymond J. Brooks Lucille of Charlotte, NC and Patrick T. Brooks Michelle of Niskayuna, NY; a daughter, Barbara M. Brooks Mitchell Lyle of Columbia, SC; seven grandchildren, Jennifer, Michelle, Christina, Meggen, Samantha, Anthony and Gianni; three great grandchildren, Cody, Samantha and Alyssa; several nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2009, at 8:15 AM at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 9:15 AM at the St. Mary?s Roman Catholic Church, East Main Street, Amsterdam, NY. Burial will take place in St. Mary?s Cemetery with full Military Honors. Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 5 to 7 PM at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made in Ray?s memory to the Hortense & Louis Rubin Dialysis Center, Inc., Troy Center, 1850 Peoples Avenue, Troy, NY 12180.