The obituary, shown below, was originally published in the January 19-25, 2012 issue of The Kennett Paper.
Thomas E. Brooks, Jr., age 62 of Coatesville, passed away on Saturday December 10 at Paoli Memorial Hospital. The son of the late Pearl and Thomas E. Brooks, Sr., he was formerly from Kennett Square.
As a young man, Tom was an avid athlete. He was highly reputed as a baseball, soccer and basketball player while a student at Kennett High School and was the recipient of the Eddie Watson and Raymond Moynihan awards for athletic excellence. He went on to play soccer and basketball at Lincoln University while gaining his greatest accolades as a Small College All-American Honorable Mention for his exceptional baseball skills. He received an invitation to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Most recently, he was posthumously inducted into the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Hall of Fame.
Once a business associate with the Budget Plan Corporation, he ultimately founded the Winning Time Co., specializing in the sale of athletic apparel. He was also very fond of music.
A memorial service celebrating Tom's life will be held at the New Garden U.A.M.E. Church, 309 East Linden St. in Kennett Square on Saturday January 21 at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Maxine Mayo.