Gene Stuart Brooks

Gene Stuart Brooks, 85, of Bozeman, Montana passed away on January 20, 2016. He was born on July 11, 1930 in Chestnut, Montana to James and Elizabeth (Maykuth) Brooks.

Gene attended the Chestnut Rural School and graduated from Gallatin County High School in 1948. While at Gallatin High Gene was an excellent student and played Linebacker and Center for the football team. He attended the first annual American Legion Boys State and was selected to the East team for the second annual Shrine East-West football game. In 1949 he enlisted in the US Navy serving on the USS Navasota AO-106. He was put on inactive duty in 1950 and worked for the power company in Butte for a year before he was called back to active duty. He spent 1952 and 1953 aboard the USS Weiss APD-135 where he was awarded the Navy Combat Ribbon and other Korean campaign medals. He was discharged again after the Korean War. He worked as an Apprentice Plumber under Swede Anderson and worked in the 50's and 60's for Budd Plumbing. In 1971 along with friends Don and Bruce Kent he went into business as Western Plumbing of Bozeman. Gene was a master plumber who helped many friends and family alike with their plumbing and heating problems. He made it a point to help older widows and never charged them a dime.

Gene and Barbara Brown were married in 1969 and together spent many days attending athletic events of their nieces and nephews. He was a founding member of the Bozeman Hawks Booster Club. Gene also served for many years on the Bozeman Parks and Recreation Board, Cemetery Board and Board of Appeals. He served on the committee and was instrumental in bringing the Veteran's Wall to Sunset Hills Cemetery and it's permanent installation. He was a Life Member of Bozeman Elk's BPOE #463, Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Eagles, the Little Bighorn Museum Association, Custer Battlefield Association, and was a proud, longtime member of Post #14 of the American Legion. For years he was mainly responsible for a large part of the research and placement of flags on the graves of Veterans at Sunset Hills Cemetery on Memorial Day and was the driving force for getting the flags out on Main Street for veterans and patriotic holidays. He repaired many damaged veteran's markers and the entrance pillars at Sunset Hills Cemetery, and he took tickets at the gate of American Legion Bozeman Bucks baseball games for years.

Gene was a proud veteran; husband, brother, uncle and friend. He loved to hunt and fish and spent many happy days on Rocky Creek, the Yellowstone River and Hunting District 327 with his cousin and trusted guide John Maykuth.

Gene was preceded in death by his sister, Marie Murphy, brothers; Ray and James and his nephew; James Joseph Brooks. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, of Bozeman, sister, May Tootell, of Saco, Montana, nieces and nephews; Bitsy (Junior) DeGidio, James "Bud" Murphy, Don Murphy, Tim Murphy, June (Bob) Schweitzer, Shirley Van Dyken, Jason Brooks, Bobbi (Russell) Menge, and Don Tootell along with many grand-nieces and nephews, and many great grand nieces and nephews, and his close friends; Carl Craft, Don Kent, and Dallas Thompson.

In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorial contributions be made to the American Legion Post #14 Flag Fund or to American Legion Baseball both of which are at PO Box 936, Bozeman, MT 59771

Condolences and memories may be share with the family at www.dahlcares.com.