Charles Lee Brooks

Charles Lee Brooks, age 77, passed away on July 1, 2026, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, MO. He was born on February 28, 1949, in Matthews, MO, to the late Charles Clarence Brooks and Lucy Williams Brooks. He graduated from Matthews High School, where he was known for being an awesome basketball player. He attended Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tennessee on a basketball scholarship. That’s where he met the love of his life. Charles served in the United States Army from 1970-1974. Charles was a member of Shady Acres Church of Christ in Sikeston, MO where he previously served as a deacon and taught Children’s Bible Hour for many years. He was a teacher at Sikeston Public Schools for 26 years, where he coached girls basketball for 12 years. Prior to becoming a public educator and coach, he worked in the radio industry, where he was fondly known by his on air name Lee B. Charles loved music. In the 1980s, he sang with the local music group CounTempo. Charles also sang at many weddings over the years. On September 28, 1968, in Chicago, IL., he married Willie “Sue” Brooks who preceded him in death on January 11, 2021. He is survived by three sons and one daughter-in-law, Chris (Holly) Brooks, Adam Brooks and Robert Brooks; five daughters and three sons-in-law, Nicole (Paul) Johnson, Inger (David) Selvig, Samantha Brooks, Heather (Jerry) Bowman and Brandi Brooks; two sisters Alice (George) Pollard and Bobby (Jessie) Edmond; thirteen grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law Steve Croom, Stanley Croom, Dave Croom, and Dennis Croom and sisters-in-law Lynda Howard and Sandra Croom. In addition to his wife and parents he was preceded in death by one grandson, Nicholas Johnson, one brother Clarence Brooks and two sisters, Lee Fitzgerald and Bernice Brooks-Jones.