J. Fred Brooks

James Fred Brooks, 78, passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on Saturday, May 13, 2017, at Johnson City Memorial Hospital following a 19 month battle with Mesothelioma. He was born on November 9, 1938 in Mooresburg, Tennessee to the late John Monroe Brooks, Sr. and Hazel Horner Brooks. He was the fourth of eight children. Mr. Brooks accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at a young age. He grew up in a strong Christian atmosphere and loved the Lord and served Him faithfully for the remainder of his life.

Mr. Brooks graduated from Church Hill High School in 1957 and soon began work at Tennessee Eastman Company where he worked for 18 years. He started Brooks Industries in 1974, Brooks Enterprises, Inc. in 1978 and helped his daughters start WKM Construction, Inc. in 1997. Mr. Brooks was also a founding partner of Tele-Optics, Inc. Through the years his companies built hundreds of fast food restaurants, assisted livings, nursing homes, department stores, gas stations, churches and other commercial businesses east of the Mississippi River and up and down the eastern seaboard. He loved to be involved in mission work and disaster relief. Mr. Brooks served on short term mission trips in Venezuela, Romania, Chile, Canada, Nicaragua, Belize and many US States, having built churches in many of those areas.

He and a friend began a feeding program for school children in Belmopan, Belize that provided lunch for over a 100 children each day. Mr. Brooks had a heart for the children of Belize and was impressed by the Lord to help them have a high school education and reach their protentional. So, he was instrumental in the construction of Belmopan Baptist High School, Cayo, Belize and established a scholarship plan for children to attend the school free of charge. In addition, he and his wife helped several of the students continue that education at trade school and college.

Since 1979, Mr. Brooks was a member of West Colonial Hills Baptist Church, Kingsport where he had served as Deacon, Sunday School teacher, on various committees including Building and Missions Committees. He was also a Gideon.

He is preceded in death by his parents; mother-in-law, Treva Whitman Hurt; and brothers-in-law, Carol Harlow and Harry Wiggs; and sister-in-law, Polly Wiggs.

Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 57 years; Marie J. Ritso Brooks; and two daughters, Melissa G. Sherfey (husband, Wayne) of Fall Branch, and Kathy Brooks of Church Hill. In addition are three grandsons, Derrek W. Pugh, Joshua C. Davenport, Eli J. Casey; one granddaughter, Makala B. Casey; sisters, Margie B. Harlow, Nan K. Ritchie, Annie Chapman (husband, Bruce) and Elizabeth Wooten (husband, Joel) all of Church Hill; Sue Shelton of Phoenix, Arizona, and Johneva Ferguson (husband, Dave) of Irving, Texas; one brother, John M. Brooks, Jr. (wife, Peggy) of Kingsport; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. Mr. Brooks leaves a legacy of hard work, dedication and faithful service to Christ to further advance the kingdom of God.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17, 2017, at West Colonial Hills Baptist Church, 1205 Kendrick Creek Road. A Celebration of Life Service will follow at 7 p.m. with Mr. Brooks' cousin, Dr. Tiger Brooks and Pastor Greg Cercone officiating.

Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2017, at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

Pallbearers will be Mr. Brooks' grandsons and nephews. Honorary Pallbearers will be Paul Carpenter, Frank Waldo, Don Watterson, Ken Nichols, Bill Harris, and Onnie Chase.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the following: Gideons International (The Gideons International Processing Center, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090-7251), West Colonial Hills Baptist Church Father's Day Fund to assist members to participate in mission trips around the world (West Colonial Hills Baptist Church Father's Day Fund, 1205 Kendrick Creek Road, Kingsport, TN 37663), Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
1317 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314) or American Cancer Society (American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123).

A special thanks to Dr. Elnora Spradling, Rebecca Hicks, RN, Briana Bresnock, RN, and Chemo Clinic Nurses at Regional Cancer Center in Johnson City and Dr. Jeffrey Schoondyke and his staff at Karing Hearts Cardiology in Johnson City for going above and beyond in the care of Mr. Brooks.

Cemetery Details