Sammy R. Brooks

Sammy R. Brooks, 81 of Abilene, the eighth of ten children born to Evelyn Turner Brooks and Sammy Fount Brooks on February 12, 1931 in Torrance, California, died on August 2, 2012 in Brownwood, Texas. Mr. Brooks graduated from Los Fresnos High School in Los Fresnos, Texas. He was a veteran of the Korean War. Upon returning to the States, he attended the University of Houston for two years. He returned to his home area and started working for Sears in 1955. He continued his employment with Sears for 39 years, retiring in 1994. He actually began working with Sears before the company had trucks to make house calls. He used his own vehicle to go to customers' homes to deliver a television or repair one. In 2005 he moved from San Antonio to Abilene, where he was a member of Wylie Church of Christ. Mr. Brooks was preceded in death by his parents and seven siblings, Elizabeth Brooks, Lee Brooks, Ethelyn Sanders, Nita Whaley, Kate Edwards, Alfred Brooks and Tom Brooks. Surviving Mr. Brooks are his wife, Frances Brooks of Abilene; daughter, Laura Gutschke and husband Eric of Abilene; son, Phillip Tetreault of Midlothian, Texas; grandchildren Emily Gutschke, Rebecca Gutschke, Erin Gutschke and Zachary Tetreault; sister, Gladys Pettijohn and husband Arnold of Clyde, Texas; brother, Jerald Brooks and wife Gloria of Corpus Christi; sister-in-law, Gloria Brooks of Harlingen and numerous nephews and nieces. Funeral services will be 9:30 a.m. Monday, August 6, at The Hamil Family Funeral Home Chapel, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene, with Weldon Gann officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene. Visitation will be 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Chris Pettijohn, Randy Pettijohn, Steven Pettijohn, Ralph Sanders, Eric Gutschke and Patrick Henderson. Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Association, North Central Texas Chapter, 301 S. Pioneer Dr., Suite 105, Abilene, TX 79605.