Gerald "Jerry" DeVon Brooks, 85, of Bluffton died at 12:45 p.m. Sept. 8, 2014, at Hilty Memorial Home, Pandora. He was born Oct. 28, 1928, in Palmer Township, Putnam County to the late Malcolm and Violet (Preble) Brooks. On Aug. 14, 1953, he married Helen Burkholder, who survives.
Mr. Brooks was a farmer his entire life. He retired from Ex-Cello/Pure Pak of Bluffton of which he was on their union bargaining committee. He had been a member of the Allen County and Richland Township zoning boards, Beaverdam Farmer's Co-Op board, Bluffton school board and was an Allen County Farm Bureau member. He graduated from Continental High School and was a Korean War Veteran, having served in the Marine Air Corps.
Survivors include four children, Sue (Arman) Habegger of Pandora, George M. (Altha) Brooks of Van Wert, James A. (Chris Orton) Brooks, Carole L. (Bruce) Okuley of Bluffton; five grandchildren Randy (Dee Poowuttikul) Hart of Grosse Ile, Mich., Kevin (Valerie Jacobs) Hart of Cincinnati, Lyndsay (Doug) Pepple of Seattle, Wash., Amanda Brooks of Charleston, S.C., and Eli Okuley of Bluffton; two sister-in-laws, Eunice Brooks of Continental, Jean Brooks of Bear Lake, Mich.; and a brother-in-law Dan Heitzman of Cloverdale.
He was preceded in death by three sisters, Joan A. Heitzman, Virginia Brooks, Phyllis Fabian; and three brothers Donald Brooks, William Brooks and Richard Brooks.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Chiles-Laman Funeral & Cremation Services, Bluffton, Chaplain Elizabeth Kelly officiating. Burial will be in Reformed Mennonite Cemetery, Bluffton. Visitation will be Friday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. and one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hilty Memorial Home of Pandora.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.chiles-lamanfh.com
