Joe Brooks

There is no doubt that Joe Brooks lived his life to the fullest. Known to squeeze every drop of energy into a day, he lived his life selflessly serving others. He held a fierce love for his family and enjoyed spending time with them. Gone too soon, Joe’s zest for life and his remarkable compassion for others will be his greatest legacy.

His story begins in the year 1976. Nadia Comaneci was a household name in the Montreal Olympics winning three gold medals in gymnastics, NASA unveiled the first space shuttle, the Enterprise, and Jimmy Carter was elected President. During a promising time in our nation’s history, Joseph Andrew was born on October 18th to Theresa (Brooks) Verville and Michael Hudson in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Growing up, Joe lived a typical childhood of the times. Most of his childhood days were spent running the neighborhood with his cousin Ronnie who was only six months apart in age. A city boy through and through, he and Ronnie found their fair share of mischief together and strengthened their bond by trying new adventures. During his younger years, Joe lived and breathed football, baseball, and wrestling. Built like a brick wall, he normally played on the defensive line, which suited him just fine since in his own words “I don’t run.” After graduating with the Class of 1995 from Loy Norrix High School, Joe played semi-pro football with the Kalamazoo Outlaws for a couple of seasons (where he still didn’t run). For his work, he started working at Lowe’s Home Improvement climbing the corporate ladder to Assistant Manager during his fifteen years with the company. His last six years were with LL Flooring as a General Manager in the Lansing and Kentwood stores. He had fun along the way and valued his employees and coworkers.

Not to be forgotten was the meeting of the love of his life, Julie. They met online in the spring of 2015. They chatted for several weeks then decided to meet in person at Jac’s Pizza in Portage. They wrote a bucket list on a napkin and laminated it, knowing they would be going places together. They hit it off so well, that the next two nights turned into their next two dates! Joe was living in Portage and Julie was living just north of Lansing at the time, which meant they savored nearly every weekend together. Sharing many commonalities, Joe proposed to Julie around Thanksgiving weekend and they were married a month later on December 31, 2015, at Henderson Castle. After the ceremony, they went glow bowling with their friends and family, shared a cake, ordered bar food, and partied the night away!

Happily in love, they raised nine children together. Nothing could top the pride Joe had for his family. He encouraged each of the kids to do their best in whatever they set out to accomplish. A faithful encourager and supporter, he taught them to never settle for less than their very best. He wanted nothing more than to share in their every success and milestone. With a large family, there was never a dull moment in the Brooks’ household. Once on a family vacation to Pigeon Forge, they filled up two cars and were delighted to share the vacation with extended family members. Joe felt especially fortunate on the drive to Tennessee, because he drove the car full of kids that were NOT carsick! They spent a week exploring nature, visiting Dolly’s Stampede, enjoying delicious food, and even spotting a bear!

Joe was willing to try new things and was passionate about his many hobbies and interests. He enjoyed watching sports. His favorite football teams were the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, and U of M college football. He was proud to be the champion in his Fantasy Football leagues over the years. When it came to baseball, he cheered for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. Just a couple of weeks before he passed, Joe got out and enjoyed one last baseball game, watching the Lansing Lugnuts win with his family and special friends.

In addition to sports, he had spent some time as a member of Lighting Kicks, a local Brazillian Ju Jitsu/martial arts team. He enjoyed practicing with his good friend, Amir Killah to keep himself in shape. He didn’t read much, but he never passed up an invitation to go to the movies for popcorn and a Diet Dr. Pepper! Joe enjoyed playing trivia with his family. They always had a lot of laughs and enjoyed winning every now and again. He also enjoyed riding motorcycles and listening to music. Joe had a special love for the song, Simple Man because the song reminded him of his dad.

Not much of a traveler before he met Julie, he enjoyed their trip to Las Vegas so much, that he didn’t hesitate when she mentioned a cruise! Just before his cancer diagnosis, Joe and Julie went with their close friends, Audra and Kevin Pline on a Carnival Cruise to Honduras and Cozumel. The trip was an exciting and eye-opening experience. Joe loved the sights, shows, comedians, and especially the food! When it came to food, pizza was always at the top of his list. The peaches his Grandma Hills canned, especially for him every summer, were a close second! When Joe was near the end of his sickness, he would drink a Jamocha shake almost every day. Joe loved ice cream and never met a flavor he didn’t like!

Described as resilient, loyal, and stubborn, Joe leaves a lasting impression on all who knew and loved him. His sweet side mixed in with his tough side, was an example of his deep love for life. Joe was a compassionate person who cared deeply for others. Above all else, Joe loved spending time with his growing family and special friends. There is no doubt that he will be greatly missed for his extraordinary ability to love everyone unconditionally. May they feel blessed to have shared his life and may his memories be eternal.

Joseph Andrew Brooks, 47, passed away peacefully on August 16, 2024, following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Joe is survived by his Brooksie Bunch: wife, Julie, and their 9 amazing children, Jasmine (Peanut), Chandler, Cohen, Addison, Reed, Emma, Drew (Joseph Jr.), Anderson, and Scarlett. Joe is also survived by his mother, Theresa Kay (Brooks) Verville, and many cousins, in-laws, nephews, and niece.

Joe was preceded in death by his grandparents, father, aunts, and “brother from another mother,” Sean Anderson. Cremation has taken place. Life Story Services will be held Thursday, September 5th at 4:30 pm at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900. A reception where food, drinks, and stories will be shared will be held immediately following in the Life Story Center. Celebrate Joe’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on his dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com.