Spinks Kennedy Brooks, Jr., age 92, passed away peacefully at home in the presence of his family on January 4, 2025. Visitation will be Thursday, January 9 at Williams Funeral Home in Florence from 11:00 – 1:00 pm. The service will start at 1:00 pm in the chapel and burial following in Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens.
He was born in Murphy, Texas in 1932 to Helen Miller Brooks and Spinks Kennedy Brooks, Sr. He attended Parker Elementary School and graduated from Plano High School. He attended Lon Morris Junior College in Texas. He served honorably in the United States Navy on a fleet tanker, the USS Cacapon during the Korean conflict. He married Sallie Jones Brooks in San Francisco in 1954 while serving in the Navy. They lived briefly in Dallas, Texas and he then spent the remainder of his life at Brooks Acres, Killen, Alabama.
He was a successful cattleman. Other jobs included commercial fishing and working security at Humana Hospital for many years. He was a member of First Baptist Killen, a member of Randall Weaver’s Sunday School Class and a proud member of the Killen Lions Club. He enjoyed making chicken stew and giving out candy for donations. He was a bell-ringer with the Salvation Army many seasons. His favorite color was red. His favorite words were “listen” and “what”. He loved steak, carrots, strawberries, the flavor vanilla and frog legs. His favorite book was the Bible and his favorite pastime was television, especially westerns.
SK, as he was known by most everyone, was a very unique person. He took Charles Atlas strength building courses as a young man, and was strong up until his death. You did not want to get in a hand-gripping contest with him.
He had may interests during his lifetime including motorcycles, CB radios and knife collecting, and enjoyed traveling to all 50 states and several foreign countries. He taught himself to weld by buying a book on the subject, and had a great natural ability to repair anything on the farm. He was very proud of his Texas heritage and before it was cool, during the 1960s, always wore his cowboy hat. He also had a story or two about our family owning the property that later became Southfork in Dallas, Texas. Unlike his wife, who was a sun worshiper, he was always completely shielded from the sun in both summer and winter. He had an extraordinary ability to work a hay hook to move bales of hay prior to the invention of the large round hay bales. He had two main mottos “never force anything” and “work, work, work”. He loved to tease people. Especially waitresses whom he would question the cut of a steak, and whether the beef was domestic or imported. Most of them loved him! He always loved life and lived it to the fullest.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Sallie J. Brooks, mother, Helen Miller Brooks and father, Spinks Kennedy Brooks, Sr.
He is survived by his sons: Kenneth F. Brooks (Toni), Brian R. Brooks, Brad G. Brooks (Melissa), and Craig J. Brooks and companion, Lisa Shipman.
Grandchildren: Danyelle Brooks and partner, Olivia Jordan, Jessie Skipworth (Ben), William Brooks (Jessica)
Great Grandchildren: Judah Skipworth and Reid Skipworth
Special thanks to Dr. Ralph Aquadro and Staff, North Alabama Hospice, Caregivers: Myra McDougal, Shelia Melton, Mabel Reaves, and Tim and Ellen Wilemon. Thanks to good friends Quint Langstaff and Angie Archer.
