Obituary: Brooks, William R. “Bill”
Age 95
He attended South Dakota State for Engineering and then graduated with his pilot’s license from the Pensacola Naval Air Station in 1940.
Throughout World War II Bill taught Navy personnel how to fly at Corpus Christi, Texas, and flew Sikorsky-44 flying boats from New York to North Africa.
Bill continued his military service in the Army Air Reserve for 20 years.
Bill was also a test pilot at Republic Aircraft in New York, testing P-47 Thunderbolt fighters.
That is where he met Rose Locey who became his wife and the mother of his three children: Lesley (Tom Levendofsky), Grant (Chris) and Carol (Pete Aragon).
Bill and Rose moved to Coeur d’Alene after World War II and established Brooks Seaplane Service in 1946, which is still operating today on Lake Coeur d’Alene.
Bill taught World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War Veterans as well as scores of others to fly and ultimately attain their private commercial and instrument licenses.
Bill also flew many fishermen up to the fly-in-only lakes in Canada and treated thousands of tourists to the beauty of northern Idaho.
Several years after Rose’s death in 1961, Bill married Regia Flammia (French) and lived with her until her death in 2006.
Bill continued to fly his seaplanes until 2009.
He loved to fish and went on numerous walleye and rainbow fishing trips with his son, Grant.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and brother and is survived by his children Lesley, Grant and Carol; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
There will be a Celebration of Life gathering at YATES FUNERAL HOME IN HAYDEN, 373 E. HAYDEN AVENUE on Saturday, April 11 from 12:00-2:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Kootenai Humane Society at 116540 N. Ramsey Rd.
Hayden, Idaho, 83835.
Please visit Bill’s memorial and sign his online guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.