Joseph F. Brooks

Waltham – Mr. Joseph F. Brooks, of Waltham, died Monday, February 7, 2011 at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. He was 81.

Joe was born in Allston on September 1, 1929, a son of the late Thomas and Signe (Anderson) Brooks. He was raised in Waltham and in Newton where he graduated from Newton High School. He served as a staff sergeant with the United States Army during the Korean War and was a member of the Army Boxing Team.

He and his wife, Joanne (Brown) Brooks, were married at Saint Theresa’s Church in Watertown on June 14, 1952. They lived in Watertown before moving to Waltham in 1964. Joe furthered his education at R.E.T.S. Electronic School in the Electronics Technician Certificate Program and worked for 32 years as a service representative for Victor Business Machines. After that he worked as a courier driver for W.R. Grace. In his retirement he was a school crossing guard in Watertown for several years.

Joe was a Lieutenant with the Watertown Auxiliary Police Department, an organization that he served for more than 40 years. He was a longtime usher and past president of the Ushers Club at Saint Jude Church in Waltham where he and his wife also belonged to the Couples Club. Joe also bowled with the parish bowling league and at the Wal-Lex Bowling League and enjoyed playing cribbage and solitaire, hunting and socializing with family and friends.

In addition to his wife of 58 years, Joe leaves his children, Denise Salemi and her husband, Amil, of Revere, Sharon Rothwell and her husband, Mark, of Ashland, Waltham Police Lieutenant Joseph F. Brooks, Jr. and his wife, Patricia, of Maynard, Jill Lawson and her husband, William, of Upton and Kerry Cannistraro and her husband, Michael, of Upton; his grandchildren, Jonathan, Jennifer and Jamie Salemi, Tiffany, Mark and Nolan Rothwell, Julie, Kaitlin, Ryan and Timothy Brooks, Brooke, Jacqueline, Brett and Spencer Lawson and Derek, Drew and Blake Cannistraro; his sisters, Evelyn Anderson of Nashua, New Hampshire, Helen Porter of Lunenberg and Signe Kent of Newton and many nieces and nephews.

Joe was also a brother of the late Thomas, John and Carl Brooks.

Family and friends will honor and remember Joe’s life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Thursday, February 10th, from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Friday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to Child Life Services at the Floating Hospital for Children, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111.