John Joseph Brooks, Sr.

John Joseph “Johnny” Brooks, Sr. died on July 17 at Lexington Medical Center following a brief battle with heart complications. In passing as in life, his wife Jane Brooks was at his side. 

Born in the Bethel Community of Fairfield County on September 23, 1937 to the late James Pope “Bud” Brooks, Sr. and the late Alice Willingham Brooks, he was predeceased by his brother, James Pope “Buddy” Brooks, Jr., and his sister, Annette Brooks Cathcart.

He entrusts the charge of being ever mindful of the needs of others to his family: his wife, Jane Castles Brooks (wed June 21, 1958); his daughter, Deborah Brooks Durden (Kevin Durden); and his son, John Joseph Brooks, Jr. (Becky Sharpe Brooks); grandchildren, James Andrew Durden (Elizabeth Francis Durden), Susan Brooks Durden, Angela Jane Brooks Durden; John Joseph Brooks, III, Blaire Brooks Howell (Louis Peyton Howell, III), and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Johnny attended Greenbriar School and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1959, whereafter he started his career with Southern Bell in 1959. Over the course of his 33-year telephone industry career, he served the company through 13 moves within South Carolina in Columbia, Charleston and the Pee Dee (Dillon, Cheraw and Bennettsville). He established the Washington D.C. office for the newly-formed BellSouth in 1983 and concluded his career in 1991 as Assistant Vice President for Corporate and External Affairs in Atlanta, Georgia.

In the communities he lived in throughout his life, he was always a loyal member and leader in his local United Methodist church, including 20 years as a member of Bethel UMC in Charleston. He additionally devoted himself to community leadership roles, including his years of proud service as the regional Vice President of Telephone Pioneers of America, and shared his boundless energy in too many other charitable and civic organizations to name.

Johnny rarely met a stranger and had a habit of finding connections with anyone he sat next to longer than a few minutes; a trait that often left those around him both bemused and impressed. Over his distinguished life and career, the list of people Johnny regarded as a friend only grew. The family wishes to express heartfelt gratitude to the many friends who have blessed them through their actions and prayers, and special thanks to the doctors and staff at Lexington Medical Center.

The family will welcome friends to drop by the home at 1045 Carl Shealy Road in Irmo on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 between 4 and 7 pm. A memorial service will be held at Union United Methodist Church (7582 Woodrow St, Irmo, SC 29063) on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 1 pm.

Memorials may be made in lieu of flowers to: the Brooks Family Scholarship at Columbia College (1301 Columbia College Dr, Columbia, SC 29203) and Union United Methodist Church (P.O. Box 705, Irmo, SC 29063).

Pope Funeral Home is assisting the Brooks family. 

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