Clarence H. "Buck" Brooks Sr.

Clarence H. "Buck" Brooks Sr.

January 16, 1931 - November 26, 2024

Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO-4) Clarence H. “Buck” Brooks Sr., age 93 of Monroe, went home to be with the Lord at 5:58 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital.

Born January 16, 1931, in Monroe, he is the son of the late Henley and Lillie (Winters) Brooks. Buck attended Monroe High School, Cleary College, and later earned an Associate of Commerce Degree from Monroe County Community College. He married Bernetta Y. Savage on July 24, 1954, in Angola, Indiana. Sadly, after sixty-five years of marriage she preceded him in death on May 10, 2019. Buck dedicated his life to serving his country, serving in the United States Navy, Army and Air Force throughout his thirty-six-year career.

CWO-4 Clarence H. Brooks retired 16 January 1991 from the United States Army and placed on AUS Retired list after completion of thirty-five years, nine months service. CWO Brooks assignment prior to retirement was that of Training Officer and Telecommunication Chief for the Army’s largest Signal Battalion, 156th Signal Battalion, MI ARNG currently based in Belleville, MI.

CWO Brooks is a Korean war veteran whose military career began when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy of 3 February 1948 and received basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, U.S. Naval Sonar School Key West, FL and was subsequently assigned to the USS Wheatear AM-390 Minesweeper with duty assignments in the North Atlantic Naval Operations and served one year tour of duty at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy on 18 January 1952.

CWO Brooks enlisted in the USAF on 14 January 1954, where he attended numerous schools and was assigned to the 1370th Photo-Mapping Reconnaissance Wing at Turner AFB at his time of honorable discharge on 12 July 1960. This USAF Unit was responsible for electronically surveying the world, laying out missile ranges to include Cape Kennedy, Florida.

After working for the County of Monroe after his discharge from the USAF, he enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard Battery C 1st Battalion, 177th ADA, as a full-time technician located at the Nike Site, Carleton on 17 September 1965 and remained there as First Sargent until 1 October 1974, when all Nike Sites were deactivated. The Newport Nike Site during this period of time won the distinction as being one of the Army’s best defense firing batteries and was awarded second place trophy in competition for the Army’s finest firing batteries. He was subsequently assigned to CO A 156th Sig Battalion, in Monroe, on 1 October 1974 where he continued as a full-time military technician, unit Administrator and as First Sargent of this company. On 14 August 1977 he was appointed CWO- 2 Telecommunication Chief of CO A., andremained in this position until 8 May 1985, when he entered active-duty service and was assigned as Telecommunication Chief of the 156th Sig Battalion, Ypsilanti, MI, responsible for training and telecommunication security systems of the Battalion. He was commissioned as CWO-3 on 17 January 1987 and promoted to CWO-4 on 21August 1989, and served in this grade until retirement.

He has received numerous meritorious service awards from the service he was in and has been awarded twenty-one decorations and awards that include the Army Commendation Medal (three times), Army Achievement Medal (five times), Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two Oak Leaf Clusters Army Humanitarian Award, USN Good Conduct Medal, USAF Good Conduct with two bronze loops, ARNG Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Service Medal and other awards. He is the recipient of the Michigan Minuteman Award.

In his spare time, he enjoyed golfing, cooking, spending time with his family and relaxing in his La-Z-Boy chair. Buck was a longtime member of the Monroe Council1266 Knights of Columbus, Lynn C. Weeman American Legion, and VFW Post 1138.

To cherish his memory, Buck leaves two children, Bucky (Roxanne) Brooks and Beth (Daniel) Mitchell, both of Monroe; two brothers, Edmund (Evelyn) Brooks of Holland, Ohio, and Vernon (Linda) Brooks of Monroe; one sister, Naomi (John ) Fowler of Brooksville, Florida; four grandchildren: Jennifer (Craig) Reed, Ryan (Scott) Brooks, Sarah Mitchell, and Jacob Mitchell; four great-grandchildren: Hannah, Heidi, Braxton and Vada Reed; and his beloved Shih Tzu, Mittens.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by four brothers: Charles, John, Enos, and Edward; two sisters, Eva Rhea and Mary O’Toole.

Family and friends may visit from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Monday, December 2, 2024, at Rupp Funeral Home, 2345 S. Custer Road, Monroe, MI 48161, where the Rosary will be recited at 6: 30 p.m. He will lie in state on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church at 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11 a.m. celebrated by the church pastor, Rev. Fr. Kishore Battu. Interment will follow at Roselawn memorial Park, LaSalle, where military honors will be under the auspices of VFW Post 1138, Monroe.

Memorial contributions in Buck’s memory are suggested to St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Online condolences to the family may be sent by visiting www.ruppfuneralhominc.com.