A few years ago, one of the members from the church I pastored thought that I should have a doctoral robe since I worked so hard for the degree. I tried to convince her that it was a waste of money. Jean said: “Pastor, you need the robe because someday you might want to wear it for a baby dedication, ordination service, a memorial service and yes, going to a graduation exercise. All I ask is that you wear it one time after graduation at church.” The next time I wore this robe was 6 years later when Jean went home to be with the Lord. I told the audience that day, and I am telling this audience today: “When you go to a graduation exercise in heaven, you wear a robe.” Today, I am going to John’s graduation exercise in heaven, that’s why I’m wearing this robe.
John Brooks was born in Oakland, CA on March 14, 1931. He went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Jan 12, 2016 in their home in Visalia, CA.
He is survived by his sweet wife of 61 years, Dinah; two wonderful daughters, Cindi Brooks of Santa Rosa, Ca and Lisa Dowling of Placerville, Ca.
John is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Joseph.
John grew up in an ideal environment for a young boy. His backyard was the Russian River, where he enjoyed swimming, canoeing and fishing all summer, and out his front door was Fitch Mountain, where he spent many years hiking and exploring nature. He was very active as a Boy Scout and received the Eagle Scout award. He always had a love of the outdoors and was still swimming every day this past summer.
John and Dinah met on a blind-date in June 1954, and in the process of planning their wedding, they decided it was much more romantic to elope! They eloped and married in Gardnerville, NV on November 7, 1954. There is hope for the rest of us! In case you wonder where I am going with this, let me remind you that John and Dinah were married for 61 years! They celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary in 2015.
After John sustained a stroke in 2004, he was still able to travel extensively. John and Dinah visited Italy, Israel, France and England. Their first trip to Hawaii was with J. Vernon McGee. They loved Hawaii so much that they went back there over and over again. They also cruised the Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Nova Scotia & Quebec. For their 50th anniversary they cruised the Hawaiian Islands. They also did a Riverboat cruise on the Danube River visiting many countries between Budapest and Prague. They also took the Railroad trip to Glacier Park and Banff. Daughter Cindi also has fond memories of many of these trips. As beautiful as the places on earth that John has visited, no place compares to heaven. “No eye has seen; no ear has heard, no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor. 2:9, New Living Translation)
Dinah recalls that at 40 years of age, John gave his life to Christ. Dinah came to Christ 6 months before John did through the ministry of Bible Study Fellowship. When John was in the Marines in Korea, he said: “God, if you get me out of here, I’ll serve you.” God heard John’s prayer.
Years later, when John saw the difference that Christ has made in Dinah’s life, he wanted to know more about Christ too.” When John heard Pastor Epp was coming to their home to explain to Dinah about the meaning of baptism, John thought that he might just take a really long shower so that he does not have to meet the pastor. He took such a long shower that the shower ran out of hot water. When John got out of the hot shower, not only was he clean, he discovered that Pastor Epp was running late and had not even shown up yet. Before Pastor Epp left their home that evening, all he said to John was: “Someday I’d love to talk to you.” Shortly thereafter, John made a public profession of his faith and received Christ as His Savior and Lord.
His name “John” means “the gracious gift of God.” John “the gracious gift of God” received the gift of God in the person of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; not because of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
John is a good man, but his good works did not lead him to heaven. His good works followed him to heaven. The Bible says that our good works do not lead us to heaven; but our good works follow us to heaven. (Rev. 14:13)
Not only was John a good man, John was a godly man. Both Cindi and Lisa remember their father as devoted to his faith and his family. While Cindi remembers her dad for his devotion to his mother, especially in the last 2 years of her life when his mom stayed with John and Dinah, Lisa remembers her dad as a man of integrity. Lisa says that her dad always did the right thing when nobody was looking. Both Lisa and Cindi remember that when they were not so nice to their mom, all their dad had to do was give them “the look.” Lisa’s fondest memory of her dad was his love for horses! Dinah, Cindi and Lisa all remember John as a gentleman. They remember John opening the car door for them. Today, if a man opens the door of a car, one of 2 things is new, the wife or the car!
Dinah says that John drew his strength from God by reading the Bible and praying to God every day. While in Santa Rosa, John enjoyed having Bible Study with the inmates in the county jail, and distributing Bibles in San Quentin monthly. He enjoyed speaking in local churches as a Gideon. As a longstanding member of GateWay Church, John served as a deacon and taught Sunday School for many years. Why? Because John believed that “no word that leaves the mouth of God will return to Him void, but will accomplish the purpose for which He sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
Dinah also recalls that John has a sweet nature. Even when he was very ill in the hospital he was very cooperative, and the nurses always commented on how sweet he was. Rose and I can testify to this.
One month before John went to be with his Lord, Rose and I were supposed to have dinner with John and Dinah, except John was in the hospital. For 6 weeks, John was not allowed to have water because he could not swallow.
When God called John’s name in heaven on Jan 12, he drank all the water he could drink from “river of the water of life in heaven.” (Rev. 22:1) That evening, Rose and I directed John’s thoughts to Psalm 121. May I share that with you?
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved, he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.”
When John Brooks breathed his last breath on Tuesday, Jan 12, 2016 in Visalia, CA, John breathed his first breath on Jan 12, 2016 in heaven, heaven. (2 Cor. 5:8)
Paul says, “Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘O death, where is your victory? O death where is your sting?’ But thanks be God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:51-58).
This afternoon, when you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, this certainty, this assurance, this confidence of a permanent home is yours. John has gone to his home in heaven. I know that I have a home waiting for me in heaven. Do you? John would love to see Dinah, Cindi, Lisa and each of you continue his spiritual legacy of loving and serving Christ wholeheartedly.
“Someday my earthly house will fall.
I cannot tell how soon, ‘twill be;
But this I know, my All in All
Has now a place in heaven for me.”
(Fanny Crosby)