OTIS BROOKS SR

Otis Brooks was born August 19, 1930 to Willie T. and Lillie B. Brooks in McCurtain County, Garvin, Oklahoma on land given to Lillie by the Choctaw Nation. He was one of fourteen siblings.

He moved to Dallas, Texas from Oklahoma with his family in 1935 and remained there until he graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1948, where he met his wife to be, Merfay Gray.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy February 6, 1948, shortly after graduation, obtaining the rating of SKSN (Seaman Storekeeper) on February 16, 1949. He served in San Diego, Terminal Island, and San Pedro, California as well as Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and ventured as far afield as Attu Island, p/o the Aleutian Islands chain, the westernmost point of the state of Alaska. He served aboard the USS Iowa during the timeframe of the Korean Conflict. He was honorably discharged on January 25, 1951.

Otis Brooks and Merfay Gray were married, February 8th, 1958. To this union, two sons were born: Otis, Jr. in November of 1958 and Stephen in November of 1967.

After his Navy service, Otis served the Dallas community by pursuing a 41-year career with the U.S. Postal Service, retiring as a special delivery supervisor in 1992.

Otis Brooks joined Good Street Baptist Church in June of 1969. He served as a Deacon, was Chairman of the Usher Board and was an Assistant Scout Master of Troop 167, Boy Scouts of America.

Otis was raised a Mason, Prince Hall Affiliation, obtaining 32 Degrees. He was a member of Good Street Baptist Lodge #182 and a Shriner with Zakat Temple No. 164.

Otis was opinionated and remained knowledgeable of current events. Every morning found him reading his newspapers after an early rise. He would often clip news and sports items and send them to his boys.

He was an avid golfer, fisherman, and sports enthusiast. He cultivated a household of loyal Dallas Cowboys fans.

Summer months saw his wanderlust kick in which resulted in road trips to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, El Paso, San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth, Kansas City, Memphis, and Washington, DC. He loved the element of surprise and was known to jump in the car and show up at the door of a relative without regard to where they lived.

He was thoughtful and would send gifts that weren’t expected (smoked turkeys, pots, gift cards). He was dependable.  If he said he was gonna do something, he did it!

Otis Brooks passed away early on Saturday morning, November 25, 2023, at the age of 93. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 56 years Merfay Brooks as well as seven brothers: MC, Lawrence ("LC"), James Edwards ("Bootie"), Dillard, Marvin, Elvin, Bennie and three sisters: Arvella Powell, Levada Butler, Gertie Crowder.

Otis is survived by his two sons, Otis Brooks, Jr. of North Bethesda, Maryland, and Stephen Brooks of Dallas, Texas, two sisters: Annette Brooks Elder of Glendale, Arizona and Marie Brooks Wheeler of Long Beach, California, as well as, one brother, Willie Brooks, Jr. of Fort Worth, Texas, and a host of nephews, nieces and family dispersed across the United States and abroad.

We celebrate the life of Otis Brooks, Sr., a selfless man who loved God, family, and country.