George Earl Brooks

George Earl Brooks, 91, died peacefully on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014 surrounded by his loved ones. Those who knew Earl remember well his solid work ethic, service to others, high standards, honesty, loyalty, frugality, his ability to grow a beautiful garden, always wearing his black Muck boots and his coveralls, and of course, his great cooking. He could cook any meat, especially turkey to perfection. He was even known to teach a few classes to women on how to cook a turkey.

Earl was born to Charles Knox Brooks and Lillian Hofeldt Brooks on Sept. 16, 1922 in Cleveland, Mont., where his parents homesteaded a section of land from 1919 to 1937. During those 18 years of homesteading, the Brooks’ grew corn, wheat, barley and hay, as well as cattle, pigs, turkeys, 6-8 cows and a bunch of chickens. Insects and drought were hard task-masters, and Charles Knox was forced to put up hay and mend wire fencing to bring in extra income. They had a wagon and two teams, every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas they loaded up the wagon with turkeys and drove them to market in Chinook, a round trip of 70 miles in an open wagon with cold and snow. Earl went to a one-room schoolhouse about a mile and a half from the ranch. He often bragged that he was the teacher’s pet, and was a very good math student.

During this time, at the tender age of 6, Earl did a lot of trapping, selling all the hides to help sustain the family. He also told us stories of how his father got him a chauffeuring job at just 11 years old driving for a sheep wool buyer. It was during these years that he developed an incredible work ethic that he passed on to his posterity. In 1937, the family decided they were unwilling to endure any longer eking out a living on the windy, dry prairie of Eastern Montana; they moved to St. Ignatius and began ranching there. Earl graduated from St. Ignatius High School and joined the Navy. He served all around the South Pacific during World War II. He picked up the art of poker, and became very good at it. He always seemed to win. With his winnings, he sent home to his parents enough money to pay for the ranch. His buddies on the ship would always borrow money from him when they went on shore, and when they paid him back, it was always with interest, He came home from the Navy with money in his pocket because he was very frugal and wouldn’t dare waste his money on any foolishness. When he got out of the Navy in 1945, he came home to the ranch. It was shortly after that that he was introduced to Alice Jensen, who had two young sons at the time, Martin and Gary. They were

soon married and became a family. Soon after that union came Ronald, Debra and Kevin. Earl took over the ranch after the death of his father, and his children worked alongside him until each left home. After Alice’s death in 1984, he continued to ranch until 1997, when he sold the ranch and moved to Provo, Utah with his son Kevin. Earl continued to do the things he enjoyed, like cooking, gardening, and of course serving all of his neighbors. In January 2007, he moved to Polson to live with his daughter Debbie. And again, he shared his many skills; he grew a garden every summer, even this last summer at the age of 91. In October 2013, he moved back to Utah with his daughter to help with a family emergency. It was here his health took a turn. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Alice; his siblings, Russell and Ruth. He is survived by his sister, Donna (Bill) Johnson, sons, Martin (Jeanette), Gary (Kate), Ronnie, Kevin (Natalie), daughter, Debbie (Daren) Gunlock. He has 15 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. Earl will be sorely missed, but his posterity is happy in the knowledge of eternal life and family, and knows that he is with his family that went before him and that someday we will all be reunited again. Earl was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Cremation has taken place, and a military/graveside service in St. Ignatius will be announced at a later date.