We regret to advise of the death of Staff Sergeant Anthony “Andy” Stonegate Brooks (Ret’d) in Vernon, BC on 28 June 2009 at the age of 89 years.
Andy was born in Louth, England. At the age of 14, he joined the crew of a deep-sea trawler, spending much time on the open waters. While at the port of Montevideo, Uruguay, Andy witnessed the scuttling of the German pocket battleship, the Graf Spey. Andy returned to England and joined the Canadian Army with the Royal Canadian Engineers where he served on the continent including participating in the Battle of the Scheldt in the Netherlands.
With the culmination of the Second World War, Andy continued his career with the RCE being posted to the Chilliwack, BC Garrison in 1946 where he taught at the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering. In those years he was also involved in establishing a military presence in the Canadian Arctic. In 1955 he was posted to the Vernon, BC Garrison where he worked as Superintendant of Works until his retirement in 1960. In 1960, he embarked on a new career by establishing Vernon’s first equipment rental shop, Vernon Rent-All, which he operated until his retirement in 1986.
There will be a funeral service at the Pleasant Valley Funeral Chapel at 4303 Pleasant Valley Road, Vernon, B.C. on 4 July at 11:00 AM. Donations may be made to the British Columbia Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC or the Vernon Hospice or a charity of one’s choice. {gdFeb2017dc} [zpi, zsp]
