Roland D. Brooks

Hamilton, MT - Dr. Roland D. Brooks, age 83, died early Tuesday morning on Feb. 17,
2009 at home after a prolonged illness.

R.D. was born in Elgin, Kansas, Feb. 14, 1926 to Albert and Eunice Brooks. He was raised during the great depression in the grasslands of eastern Kansas where he developed a strong work ethic on his small family farm. He married Lynda L. Ewing in 1951 and they recently celebrated their 57th anniversary together. He graduated from Kansas University Medical School in 1953 and was an avid KU basketball fan all of his life. "Rock Chalk Jayhawk!"

He was in the Army in the early 1950's and was stationed in Tacoma, W A, where he fell in love with the West. In 1959 he moved his family from Kansas to Moscow, Idaho where he spent 26 dedicated years as a General Practitioner. He loved his work and his patients. Doc Brooks was an "old fashioned doctor" with a gruff exterior, but those who got to know him well found him to be a very sensitive and caring man. He retired in 1986 and moved to Hamilton, MT.

Rollie loved to fly fish and took his family on many camping and fishing adventures around Idaho and Montana. He taught his children to love nature and the great outdoors and his legacy will live on in them. When catching a trout on a fly, his children will hear his voice saying, "Don't horse him in! Don't horse him in!" Dad will be greatly missed.

He is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers. He is survived by his wife, Lynda at home in Hamilton, MT and his five children; Steve Brooks (Betty) of Idaho Falls, ID; Laura Brooks, of Missoula, MT; Kara Nadeau (Steve) of Boise, ID; Greg Brooks (Patty) of Salt Lake City, UT; Doug Brooks (Yelena) of Boise, ID; his sister, Janice Johnson (Norman) of Topeka, KS; and by his three grandchildren, Marti, Andrea, and Vasiliy; and his best friend and fishing buddy, Bob Maker of Corvallis, MT.

The family requests memorials to be made to a charity of choice. Condolences and memories may be e-mailed to knadeau01@msn.com.