BROOKS, DELTON R., “DEL

Delton R. Brooks, “Del”, of Cape May, NJ and DeLand, FL died peacefully on Saturday, December 12, 2020. His beloved wife of 58 years, Dianne, was by his side. Del was born in the small hamlet of Sundown, NY on December 21, 1938, to Kenneth Brooks and Madge Brooks (DePuy). He was the youngest of four children and grew up on a small, mountaintop farm. As Del described it, the family were “dirt farmers”, living under harsh conditions without electricity or running water, though he always retained fond memories of attending his one room schoolhouse, swimming in mountain streams with his two brothers and sister, and being surrounded by the beauty of the mountains. When Del was eight, his family relocated to Gardner, NY, to a 130‐acre dairy farm. Del put himself through college working various jobs and it was at one of those jobs, a Marriott Hot Shoppe on the NY Thruway, that he met and fell in love with his future wife Dianne Belden in 1959. They were married in 1962, the same year Del graduated from Rider College in Trenton, NJ with a BA in Business Administration. Upon graduation, he went to work for the Social Security Administration in Poughkeepsie, NY. Promotions and new posts followed and in 1972, he moved to Cape May, NJ with his wife and three children to open and lead a new office as district manager. Throughout his time in Cape May, Del was a highly respected leader in a range of civic, church, and community activities, including serving as President of the Lower Cape May Regional School Board for seven years. In 2001, Del retired from the Social Security Administration, and he and Dianne began spending their time between Cape May and Boston to enjoy more time with their children and grandchildren. In 2010, Del and Dianne began spending winters in DeLand, and continued to enjoy their summers with family in Cape May. Del was an accomplished athlete as a young man, and he remained active throughout his life. He loved running, rollerblading, golf, biking and hiking the mountains of his childhood as recently as this past autumn. Del was a major presence in the lives of his children and grandchildren. He was a gentle, loving, and devoted father to Mark (predeceased), Dawn Brooks Kafker, son‐in‐law Roger Kafker, of Wellesley, MA, and Christopher Brooks, of Lexington, MA. He took sheer delight in his four grandsons, Andrew, Michael, Elliot, and Lucas. Del was predeceased by his parents Kenneth and Madge, as well as his brother Richard. He is survived by his brother Randall, and sister‐in‐law Massie; his sister Edith, and brother‐in‐law Michael; brother‐in‐law Jack, and sister‐in‐law Rosina; and sister‐in‐law Katherine. He will be sadly missed by his many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Del will forever be remembered by all for his beautiful smile, gentle eyes, caring heart, and unconditional love. A memorial to honor Del’s life will be held on Monday, December 21, 2020, at 11:00 at the Deltona Alliance Church, 921 Deltona Blvd, Deltona, FL. Additionally, in light of the current pandemic and related concerns and travel restrictions, a live stream and replay of the service will be available at https://bragonjesus.org/brooks. The family appreciates all forms of attendance. Online condolences can be made at https://www.allensummerhillfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in memory of Delton Brooks to LuMind IDSC Foundation, www.lumindidsc.org, or LuMind IDSC Foundation, 20 Burlington Mall Road Suite 20, Burlington, MA, 01803. LuMind IDSC Foundation is a nonprofit organization that seeks to ensure that every person with Down syndrome thrives with improved health, independence, and opportunities to reach their fullest potential.