- Date Of Birth: March 12, 1937
- Date Of Death: March 11, 2013
- State: Florida
John William Brooks II, age 75, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Monday, March 11, 2013. John, a native of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was born on March 12, 1937. He was the last of the grandchildren of Harriet Catherine and John Thomas Brooks, founder of Fort Walton Beach. He was preceded in death by his father, John William Brooks; and mother, Lattie Mae (Kennedy) Street; and daughter, Cynthia Brooks Meadows. He is survived by his devoted wife, Jennifer L. Brooks; sister, Tula Tisa; brother-in-law, Leo; brother-in-law, Bill Brown; daughter, Patricia A. Gordon and son-in-law Dean; son, John W. Brooks III and daughter-in-law Maureen Kay; son-in-law, Hap Meadows; stepdaughter, Allyson D. Singer; grandchildren, Richard K. Duncan Jr., John W. Brooks IV, Sara K. Brooks; and numerous beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.
John attended Marion Military Institute in Marion, Ala., where he served in the ROTC and graduated from Choctawhatchee High School with the Class of 1955. John had many business interests in the area, he was President and General Manager of Playground Marina, Inc., and owned and operated Century 21 John W. Brooks Realty, Inc. for 25 years. He was part owner of Brooks-Hunnicutt Insurance and Investments and Brooks-Sherman Company. He was a general contractor and has built homes and developed land with Fort Walton Beach Construction Company. He was a member of the Fort Walton Beach Board of Realtors, where he served on the Grievance Committee and was Program Chairman: he was a member of the Florida Association of Realtors. For 24 years he was a member of the Board of Directors of First Federal Savings Bank of Northwest Florida, where he served as past President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer and Chairman of the Board. He was a member of the Economic Development Council, Committee of 100 and the Krewe of Bowlegs. He has served as Chairman of the Beautification Committee of the Chamber of Commerce. He was Campaign Chairman for the Playground Area YMCA building fund, was a Charter and Century Club member of the Playground Area Boy’s Club and a past member of the Gulf Coast Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Former Board of Directors member of the Children’s Home Society, Pensacola, Fla. He was past President of the Fraternal Order of Police Association, was past director of the Retail Merchants’ Association, Fort Walton Beach, a past member of the Okaloosa-Walton County Historical Society, and was past member of the Board of Directors of the Choctawhatchee High School Style Marchers. He has supported and worked with many other civic and charitable organizations in the community.
John enjoyed entertaining his family and friends. He loved water sports, water and snow skiing and horseback riding. We loved John very much and will always cherish our wonderful memories of our time spent together. We look forward to and plan to see him in heaven.
