Dennis Jerald Brookman Sr.

Dennis Jerald (Jerry) Brookman Sr., 63, of Roanoke, Va., left this earth on Wednesday, November 23, 2011. He was born January 31, 1948, in Roanoke, Va., to Ernest and Velma Lucille (Keith) Brookman. He graduated with Honors from Illinois State University with a Masters degree in engineering and worked as an aerospace engineer until the 1980s. He switched gears and later worked as a dedicated educator in various California school districts and retired from Nicholas Junior High School in Fullerton, Calif., in 2010. He married Anicia "Annie" on her birthday July 4, 2002 (also known as Philippine-American friendship day) and spent the last years of his life living in her native Cavite City, Philippines. He is survived by his wife, Anicia, of the home; his mother, Velma Brookman, of Vinton, Va.; two sons, Dennis Jr. and wife, Cynthia, of Costa Mesa, Calif., and Jonathon, of Garden Grove, Calif.; four daughters, Angela, of Madison, Wis., Deborah Nasalroad and husband, Philip, of Hermitage, Mo., Rebekah Norris, of Garden Grove, Calif., and Jennifer Weiner and husband, Brian, of Hayward, Calif.; a stepdaughter, Maria Theresa Antonio-Estillore and husband, Jeremy, of Riverside, Calif.; a stepson, Ralph Joseph Antonio, of the home; two brothers, Donald of Richmond, Va., and Glenn of Roanoke, Va.; a sister, Phyllis Carter and husband, Gary, of Rocklin, Calif.; two stepbrothers, Eddy Cline, of Statesville, N.C., and Carlen Cline, of Vinton, Va.; 15 grandchildren; and many other beloved family and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest; and stepfather, Hudson Cline. A Memorial Service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, 2011, at Gravel Hill Baptist Church, Hardy, Va., with family and friends in attendance.