EMORY BROOKS

BROOKS--Emory Xenophon. Emory Xenophon Brooks passed away peacefully on November 25, 2023 at Mt Sinai Hospital Morningside in New York City. Serving children and families was his life's work and passion. He never retired, working six days a week at age 91. Emory was born in San Angelo, TX, and spent the majority of his childhood between Denton, TX and Shreveport, LA. He inherited his talent and love of music from his father, the late Emory X. Brooks, Sr., becoming a professional saxophonist at the age of 15, and mastering a host of other instruments including piano, clarinet, and bass. From his mother, the late Ruby Thornton Sergeant, he acquired his sense of humor, strength of character, and lifelong calling to help others. He graduated from Prairie View A & M University in Texas with a degree in Mathematics, and later served as an Army Infantry Officer. After the military, he moved to New York where he earned a Master's in Social Work from Columbia University, and later a certificate in Executive Leadership and Non-Profit Management from Harvard School of Business. A licensed clinical social worker, Emory founded Community Counseling & Mediation (CCM) in 1982 in response to the overwhelming problems facing poor, minority and underserved children and families in New York City. CCM provides a holistic range of services including mental health, child abuse prevention, family counseling, and supportive housing in some of Brooklyn's most vulnerable communities. Prior to establishing CCM, he was Deputy Executive Director of the Queensborough Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; and psychotherapist and director of Hawthorne Cedar Knolls School for emotionally disturbed youth. He received numerous awards for his leadership in the field of mental health. Emory was a proud father, grandfather, uncle, brother and friend. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years, Beverly B. Brooks, and sister Grace Jean Brooks Wilmer. He is survived by his children Douglas Brooks, Jennifer Brooks, and Thomas Brooks (Karen); his sister Beverly D. Brooks; nieces Gwendolyn Hughes (Roy), Patricia Blackshire, Sonya Wilmer and Alicia Adjetey; and nephew Cecile Adjetey, Jr. He will also be remembered by his grandchildren: Rachael Agwunobi (Scott Zapcic), Gabriella Brooks, Abigail Agwunobi, Nadia Brooks, Seth Agwunobi, Grayson Brooks, Benjamin Brooks, and Zachary and Nicholas Simmons. Emory left an indelible legacy that will continue to live on in his family, friends and life's work at CCM. He will be dearly missed but never forgotten.