Eldon Lee Brooks

Eldon L. Brooks was born on December 20, 1933, in Amarillo, Texas, Potter County, as the fifth and last child of Rester Arliegh and Ava Helveston Brooks. At age three moved to Handley, Texas now a part of Fort Worth where the all the Brooks children completed their education. The family included one sister, Mary Lynn Gosney, and three brothers: Rester A., Jr., now deceased; Otis T.; and Malcom Helveston, now deceased.

Eldon was educated in the public schools at Handley, a part of the Fort Worth Independent School District, was the president of the senior class of 1952, a class favorite and captain of the football team. Eldon graduated from Arlington State College, now the University of Texas at Arlington, in 1955 with an Associate of Science Degree in Industrial Electrical Engineering. He also attended Texas Christian University with studies in Physics and Mathematics.

Eldon married Janice “Jan” Parrish Brooks and has continued this union for more than fifty-seven years. They are the parents of six children: Carolyn Cox, James Brooks, Susan Taylor, Ava Martinez, Lori Carney, and Jeanne Nevell, also the grandparents of fourteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Eldon and Jan are members of Granbury United Methodist Church. He is a past president of Handley Methodist Men. Eldon was employed by Texas Electric Company, now part of the TXU system, as a power plant electrician from 1952 through 1956 and attend Arlington State College as a co-op student.

Eldon was a thirty-six and one-half year employee of General Dynamics Corporation Fort Worth Division (now Lockheed-Martin Corporation) and retired as an Engineering Specialist in the Integrated Circuits Laboratory of the Engineering Department of General Dynamics on last day of December 1992. His duties in the Integrated Circuits Laboratory from 1982 through 1992 included tasks of bidding of all projects and programs, scheduling of tasks, planning, statusing, delivery, and project coordination for blank printed wiring boards and thin film hybrid microcircuits.

His duties at General Dynamics included as a Senior Engineer from 1956 to 1970 at General Dynamics, and included that of Nuclear Engineer responsible for the maintenance, modification, installation, calibration, and checkout of the controls and instrumentation of the Aerospace Systems Test Reactor (ASTR), Ground Test Reactor (GTR), and Reactivity Test Assembly (RTA). He qualified as a reactor operator by the United States Air Force Directorate of Nuclear Safety in June 1964 through 1970 on all three reactors at the Nuclear Aerospace Facility (NARF) at General Dynamics. The reactor operator’s license required a written, oral, and practical examination every year by the Air Force Directorate of Nuclear Safety.

He aided in the design, development, build-up, checkout, and calibration of complete systems for airborne effluent monitors, reactor fission products and reactor noise analysis. He completed the design, modification, installation and checkout of the control and instrumentation systems for the upgrading of the Ground Test Reactor (GTR) from 3Mw (Mega-watts) to 10Mw (Mega-watts), including writing of specifications for new instruments and components. He assisted in the modernization and updating of reactor and facility instrumentation, including the initiation of specifications for instruments, the testing of new instruments for written specification and checkout of new instruments in complete systems.

He was involved in the program to obtain Atomic Energy Commission licenses for Nuclear Aerospace Facility (NARF).

He operated and maintained the 3MeV flash x-ray machine and 150KeV Crockroft-Walton accelerator at the Radiation Physics Laboratory.

In 1961, he participated in the field test programs of the “Cold Weather Decontamination Study-McCoy II” at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin for the United States Army Defense Laboratory.

Then in 1962-63 he worked in the field test program “Cold Weather Decontamination Study-McCoy IV,” also worked in the field test program “Simple Decontamination of Residential Areas-McCoy III.”

In 1963 he worked in the field test program “Operation Roller Coaster” for Defense Atomic Support Agency at the Nevada Test Site near Tonopah, Nevada.

His other duties at General Dynamics included maintenance, modification, and calibration of Health Physics portable and laboratory radiation monitoring instruments and systems, also the routine maintenance and calibration of general laboratory test equipment, maintenance and checkout of nuclear counting-room instrumentation, data systems, reactor instrumentation and research systems.

From 1970 to 1982 he performed as a Project Coordinator in the Electronic Fabrication Center of General Dynamics Engineering Department with the responsibility for the bidding, scheduling, planning, tracking, statusing, coordinating and delivery of Electronic Warfare Systems with the United States Air Force.

Eldon Lee Brooks passed from this life on April 12, 2010 at Granbury, Texas Masonic Burial Services were conducted under the direction of Handley Lodge # 1140 with participation from Waco Lodge # 92 and Granbury Lodge # 392 and Iredell Lodge # 405.

MASONIC RECORD

Eldon was Initiated in Handley Lodge No. 1140, A.F. & A.M. in Fort Worth on June 19,1969; Passed on July 24, 1969; and Raised on August 23, 1969; and served as Worshipful Master of Handley Lodge No. 1140, A.F. & A.M. in 1973-74. He was voted a Life member of Handley Lodge No. 1140, A.F. & A.M. in 1979. He was Secretary of Handley Lodge No. 1140, A.F. & A.M. in 1991, and District Deputy Grand Master of District 64C of the Grand Lodge of Texas in 1983. He is the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Uruguay. He is a plural and Endowed Member of Waco Lodge No. 92, A.F. & A.M. in Waco. He is a Plural member of Granbury Masonic Lodge No. 392, A.F. & A. M. in Granbury. He received the Golden Trowel Award from Waco Lodge No. 92 in 1997.

He received the Mark Master Degree in Handley Chapter No. 479, R.A.M. in Fort Worth on January 16, 1970; Past Master Degree on February 20, 1970; Most Excellent Master Degree on February 20, 1970; and the Royal Arch on March 13, 1970. He served as High Priest at Handley Chapter No. 479, R.A.M. in 1974-75. He is a Life and Endowed member of Handley Chapter. Handley Chapter merged with Fort Worth Chapter No. 58 in 2006. He is plural member of Granbury Chapter No. 454. He served the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Mason of Texas as District Deputy Grand High Priest in 1982-83 and Grand Royal Arch Captain in 1981-82. He received the Order of High Priesthood in Waco on December 1, 1975; and served as Treasurer and Secretary of the Order of High Priesthood of Texas for many years and retired in December 2003. He was elected as Grand Scribe of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas in 1988 and as Most Excellent Grand High Priest of the Most Excellent Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Chapter of Texas in 1992.

In December 1992, Eldon was elected Grand Secretary of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas, and retired from that office on December 11, 2001.

He is an honorary member of numerous Royal Arch Chapters of Texas and the Grand Royal Arch Chapters of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Tennessee.

He received the Royal Master Degree in Handley Council No. 392, R. & S. M. in Fort Worth on April 17, 1970; and the Select Master Degree on April 17, 1970. He served as Thrice Illustrious Master at Handley Council No. 392, R. & S.M. in 1974-75. Handley Council merged with Fort Worth Council No. 42 in 2006. He is a plural member of Granbury Council No. 369. He

is a Life and endowed member of Handley Council. He received the Super Excellent Master Degree in Dallas on September 18, 1972. He received the Order of the Silver Trowel in Waco on December 2, 1975, and served as Past Thrice Illustrious Master of the Order in 1985, served as Treasurer for several years and served as Registrar of the Order of the Silver Trowel of Texas for many, many years retiring in December 2002.

He received the Order of Red Cross in Worth Commandery No. 19 Knights Templar in Fort Worth on September 24, 1973; the Order of Malta on September 24, 1973; and the Order of the Temple on September 25, 1973. He served as Prelate of Worth Commandery No. 19 K.T. for six years. He is a member of Worth Commandery No. 19 K.T., a member and Past Commander of Arlington No. 107 K.T. in Arlington and served as Commander of Arlington in 1983, and was a member of Waco Commandery No. 10 K.T. in Waco from 1994 to 2000, and was the Prelate for seven years. He is a plural member of Granbury Commandery No. 100 and served as Warder two year and Prelate two years. He received the Excalibur Award from Granbury Commandery No. 100 in 2008.

He was elected as Grand Illustrious Principal Conductor of the Work of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas in 1983 and served as Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas in 1985-86. He served as District Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Council of Texas in 1977-78. In December 1992, Eldon was elected Grand Recorder of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas, and retired from that office on December 11, 2001.

He is an honorary member of numerous Council’s in Texas and an honorary member of the Grand Councils of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Tennessee.

He serves the Grand Commandery of Texas as a member of the Knight Templar Eye Foundation, and has served as a member of the Ritual Committee for several years. He is a Life Sponsor of the Knight Templar Eye Foundation. He served as co-chairman of the 141st Annual Grand Conclave of the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Texas. He is the precipitant of the Knight Commander of the Temple from the Grand Encampment Knights Templar of the U. S. A.

He was knighted a member of the Knights of the York Cross of Honour (KYCH) in Texas Priory No. 23 on May 6, 1984, and served as Prior of Texas Priory No. 23 Knights of the York Cross of Honour in 1992 and is a life member. He is a charter member of North Texas Priory No. 73 and a life member of North Texas Priory No. 73. He is an honorary member of several Priories’ in other states. He served for several years as the Personal Representative of the Grand Master-General for District No. 14 of Convent General Knights of the York Cross of Honour. He is a Knight Grand York Cross of Honour with two Quadrants.

He is a member, Past Governor and Life member of Texas York Rite College No. 14. He received the Order of the Purple Cross in Atlanta, Georgia on February 2, 1990 from the Sovereign York Rite College of North America and an Associate Regent of the Sovereign York Rite College of North America. He is a charter and life member of Trinity York Rite College No. 154.

He is a Past President of the Masonic Service Bureau of Tarrant County, Inc.

He is a member of Crusader Conclave (Amarillo) of the Red Cross of Constantine and Appendent Orders, also a member of and Past Sovereign of DeMolay Conclave (Waco) of the Red Cross of Constantine.

He became a member in 1985 and a Past Preceptor (1997) of Our Redeemer Tabernacle Number IX of the Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests.

He is a charter member and Past Sovereign of R. Bruce Brannon Council No. 270 Allied Masonic Degrees, also a Knight of the Red Branch of Eri and Appendent Orders.

He is a member of Central Texas York Rite Association and was voted a life member in 2009.

He is a member and Past President of Tarrant County York Rite Association.

He is a member, Past President and Secretary-Treasurer of the Past and Present Presiding Officers Association of Tarrant County (Chapter and Council).

He is a member and Past President of the Certificate Men’s Association of Tarrant County (Chapter and Council).

He is a member and Past President of the Presiding Officers Association of Tarrant County (Chapter and Council).

He is a member of the College of Rites of the U. S. A.

He received the Scottish Rite degrees in the Dallas Consistory in November 5, 6, and 7, 1973, and received the Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) in Fort Worth Consistory on November 12, 1983. He is now an Endowed Member of the Waco Scottish Rite Bodies and served as Venerable Master of the Lodge of Perfection in the Waco Scottish Rite for the year 2001. He was coroneted a 33° honorary in Waco Consistory in 2005.

He is a member of Moslah Temple. He is a member of Lake Granbury Area Shrine Club and served as Secretary-Treasurer in 2005, Vice-President in 2006, and President in 2007.

He is a life member and Past Monarch of El Texa Grotto of the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm in Fort Worth.

He served on the Board of Handley Rainbow Assembly for nine years and is the recipient of the Grand Cross of Colors in 1973.

He is a Senior DeMolay of Handley Chapter of DeMolay, served on the Board of Handley Chapter of DeMolay for five years and received the Legion of Honour (Active) from the Supreme Council of DeMolay, International in 1992.

He is a member and Past Patron (twice) of Handley Chapter No. 617 Order of the Eastern Star.

He is an honorary member of numerous Chapters and Councils in Texas.

He is an honorary member of the Grand Chapters and Grand Councils of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Tennessee.

He served on the Board of the Texas Masonic Retirement Center (Home for Aged Masons) in 1987, 1988 and 1989.

He was elected Grand Secretary of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas in December 1992 and retired on December 11, 2001.

He was elected Grand Recorder of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas in December 1992 and retired on December 11, 2001.

He was elected and served as Grand Recorder of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Texas from April 1996 to April 1997.

He is an honorary member of the Order of the Silver Trowel of the States of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas and Tennessee.

He is an honorary member of the Order of High Priesthood of the States of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas and Tennessee.

Obituary

Eldon Lee Brooks of Granbury, 76, passed away Monday, April 12, 2010, in Granbury.

Memorial service: 11 a.m. Thursday at Granbury First United Methodist Church.

Memorials: Texas Masonic Retirement Center in Arlington, Texas; Granbury First United Methodist Church Building Fund; charity of choice.

Mr. Brooks was born Dec. 20, 1933, in Amarillo, to Rester Arleigh Brooks, Sr. and Ava Helveston Brooks. He married Janice Gay Parrish, June 13, 1952, in Ardmore, Okla.

He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Granbury Masonic Lodge #392 and Past Master of Handley Masonic Lodge #1140.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Rester Arleigh Brooks, Jr. and Malcolm Helveston Brooks.

Survivors: Wife, Janice Brooks of Granbury; children, Carolyn Cox of Garland, James Brooks and wife, Ann, of Arlington, Susan Taylor and husband, David, of Bedford, Ava Martinez and husband, Gilbert, of Bonham, Lori Carney and husband, Terry, of Granbury, Jeanne Brooks Neville and husband, George, of Fort Worth; 15 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; brother, Otis Brooks and wife, Clara, of Granbury; sister, Mary Lynn Gosney and husband, Bill, of Junction; sister-in-law, Betty Ann Brooks of Fort Worth; nieces and nephews.

Wiley Funeral Home made arrangements.

Source: Hood County News