Raymond Brooks

Brooks, Raymond (Ray) R., age 88, passed away Sunday, January 5, 2020. Born on August 30, 1931 he was the third son of Charles B. and Daisy (Williams) Brooks. He graduated from Monmouth High School in 1949, and received his BS in Physics from Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois in 1953. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 62 years, Failyn (Gilchrist), three children: daughter Donnyce (Justin) Massey, and two sons, Jeffrey (Barbara) and Richard Brooks, as well as numerous grand and great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, his two older brothers, Paul and Don Brooks, and two of his younger sisters, Marjorie Brooks, and Ira Brooks Walsh.
A standout athlete in both high school and college, Ray received nine varsity letters in three sports - football, basketball and track. He received All -Midwest Conference honors in basketball as a junior and senior and was a conference champion three times in track. Named a Little All-American at running back he garnered notice from the NFL but decided to pursue his interest in science and physics.
After serving in the Army Security Agency he taught math in junior high in the Monmouth Public School System for one year before beginning a career as an engineer for the U.S. Navy Department for eight years. He went into private industry with Minneapolis Honeywell, later retiring from ARINC Research after 25 years.
Ray and his wife Failyn shared a love of golf and together they travelled to Japan 3 times, collecting many beautiful pieces from that country. After living 22 years in Irvine, California, Ray retired to Las Vegas, where he spent his time working in the yard, playing golf at Stallion Mountain Country Club and puttering around in the garage fixing up his 1975 Corvette.
Remembered for his quick and easy laugh, his warm smile, his nicknames—"Stick," "The Legend," and "The 'Ole Goat"—and his precision in measuring the many things he could fix, he will be missed by not only his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, but also by his surviving sister, Ada Brooks Groff (Colorado), his two younger brothers, Glenn Brooks (California) and Chris Brooks (Illinois), as well as his many his nieces and nephews.
A "RAY DAY" Open House will be held at his home, at 6608 Viewpoint Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89156 on March 28, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You are welcome to stop by and share a "RAY" story or two and visit with the many family members, neighbors and friends.

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