Earnest W. Brooks

‍Earnest W. Brooks, 93 years old of Walker, Louisiana, passed away at home with his family by his side on Saturday, September 3, 2016. He was born on March 12, 1923, in Choudrant, Louisiana to Aubrey Bolton and Luna Bell Brooks.  Earnest served his country in the US Air Force for over 27 years and retired at the rank of Master Sergeant.  He was a B17 Radio Operator in the 447th Bombardment Group 708th Squadron during World War II. On October 2, 1944 it was a day that Earnest would never forget, he and the rest of the crew of the B17 plane named Ground Pounder were on their 25th mission when they were shot down over German occupied territory. Luck was on their side that day because they all survived and made it out safely. Earnest enjoyed life and loved his work, his church, the Gideon’s, Saints and LSU football but he especially loved spending time with his family.

Earnest is survived by his daughters, Deborah Hodges Brooks, Brenda Brooks and Teddie Pike and her husband Craig, his sons, Gary Brooks and his wife Mary and Earnest R. Brooks, his grandchildren, Angel  Patterson, Joseph Patterson and his wife Penny, Ashley Vallot and her husband Dan, Jacob Miller and his wife Muthita, Dustin Brooks and his wife Stephanie, Eric Brooks, Matthew Brooks and his wife Hannah, Schyler Brooks-Dardenne and his husband Eric, Victoria and Destiny Brooks, his great grandchildren, Dylan Hodges, Christian Gendron, Brantley Pike, Seth Foreman, Miranda and Brendan Patterson, Brayden, Addi, and Noah Vallot, his brother Aubrey “Cecile” Brooks and his wife Marlene and his sister Fannie Bell Fletcher and her husband Don, also many nieces, nephews and close friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Aubrey Bolton and Luna Bell Brooks, his wife Jeannette Marie Brooks, his daughter, Elizabeth “Gail” Munson, his granddaughter, Amber Pike Foreman, his brothers, Robert Cleveland and Fred Thomas Brooks, his sisters, Mary Frances Webb and Nellie Catherine Gonzales.

A Visitation for Earnest will be held on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm and continue on Thursday, September 8, 2016 from 9:00am – 11:00am at Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home in Hammond. A Funeral Service Celebrating Earnest's Life will immediately follow Thursday visitation at 11:00am in the funeral home chapel. Entombment will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park in Denham Springs.

Earnest's guest book can be viewed at www.harrymckneely.com.