Walter Brooks, Jr

Walter Brooks Jr.

1941–2026

Walter Brooks Jr., 84, died at home in Federal Way, Washington, January 21, 2026. He was born April 21,1941, in Cumberland, Maryland.

He spent his first years in Philadelphia where his father worked and completed his Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. The family then moved to the Los Angeles area where he had a large extended family. He grew up and attended high school in Whittier. He attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he met his wife Carolyn in the halls of the chemistry building. They celebrated their 62nd anniversary December 26, 2025.

After marrying in 1963, they attended graduate school at Florida State University in Tallahassee where Walt earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry.

He worked in research on the East Coast for several years before they moved to Federal Way in 1976. He worked as a research chemist/scientist at Weyerhaeuser and Boeing.

The family were members of Temple Beth El in Tacoma for over a decade where daughter Rechele and son Aaron had their Bat and Bar Mitzvahs. They continue to celebrate the holidays with family.

Walt had many interests and collections, including rhododendrons, classical music, model trains and astronomy. He was a member of the American Rhododendron Society (ARS) and Rhododendron Species Botanical Gardens for over 40 years and president of the Tacoma ARS Chapter for 13 years. He and Carolyn attended the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Chamber Music Society concerts regularly. After retirement they took up astronomy and loved to go up into the mountains to camp and observe.

Walt’s family of aunts, uncles and cousins were warm, friendly and talkative. He inherited that trait. He loved to talk to family and friends – and would start conversations with strangers in waiting lines, and at stores and concerts. It is the thing that family members and friends all remember.

He was predeceased by his father Walter, mother Rebecca and brother Bobby. He is survived by his wife Carolyn, his daughter Rechele and family (Andre, Shana), and son Aaron and family (Katy, Benjamin, Noah), plus many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held Monday, January 26, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Home of Peace Cemetery in Tacoma.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to UW Medicine Memory & Brain Wellness Center and the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden.