John J. "Jack" Brooks

1940 - 2019

VERNON - John J. Brooks "Jack," 78, passed away Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019. Jack was born in Washi,ngton Heights in New York City on Dec. 24, 1940, to the late John J. and Margaret (Gerrity) Brooks. Jack had been a resident in Glenwood since 1990 and prior to that he resided in Ringwood and New York City.
Jack was a graduate of Manhattan College and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969. Jack is United States Army Veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a senior systems engineer for IBM in Armonk, N.Y., for many years and later worked as a senior system programmer and contract system programmer for Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark. Jack was a member of the Wallkill Valley Post 8441 Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vernon, and the Sgt. Francis M. Glynn American Legion Post 132, Franklin. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and Project Management Institute. Jack served his community in multiple facets as a member of the Planning Board, councilman and then deputy mayor of Ringwood. He also served as president of the Ringwood Board of Health and chairman of the Vernon Board of Health. Jack cherished the time he spent with his family and grandchildren. He was an avid Jets fan, enjoyed model trains, gardening and loved to read.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his beloved wife, Marianne P. (Radigan) Brooks, and a granddaughter, Sierra Doering. Jack is survived by his daughters, Deirdre Doering and her husband, Chad, of Dingmans Ferry, Pa., and Colleen Brooks, of Glenwood; his grandchildren, Darion, Hunter and Ethan Doering and Savannah Hernandez; siblings, Kevin Brooks and his wife, Ginny, of Brooklyn, N.Y., Maureen Klette-McCausland and her husband, James, of Staten Island, Sheila Corr, of Mesa, Ariz., and Donal Brooks, of East Orange; and his many nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Ferguson -Vernon Funeral Home, 240 Route 94, Vernon, (GPS use 1 Vanderhoof Court). The family will gather at the funeral home at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 6, for a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial service at St. Francis de Sales R.C. Church, 614 Route 517, Vernon. Cremation services are private.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the CJ Foundation for SIDS, HUMC:WFAN Pediatric Center, 30 Prospect Ave. Hackensack, NJ 07601 would be appreciated. For directions and condolences, see www.fergusonfuneralhomesnj.com.