Age 75, Luray, Va.
Fredrick Edwin Brooks (a.k.a Skip, Freddie B, Poobah), age 75, of Luray, Va., formerly Virginia Beach, went home to be with his Lord, on Jan. 12, 2022.
He is the son of Ruth Pinnich, Beaver Falls, Pa., and the late Edwin Brooks. He is also survived by the love of his life, his wife, Pamela Sikorski; sister, Mary Main; brother, Terry Brooks and wife Shirley; sister, Barbara Glotfelty; sister, Nancy McCarter; sister, Holly Wolfe and husband Bill; daughter, Heather Hardy and husband Will; daughter, Brandi Bemiss and husband Danny; step-son, Brian Sikorski; grandchildren – Amber Lord, Jade Bartlett, Kaleb Bemiss, and Daniel Bemiss; step-grandson, Spencer; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was born Sept. 25, 1946 in Beaver Falls, Pa. He was a very mischievous and adventurous soul as a child, which mostly carried over into his adult life. In his youth, he played high school football with Joe Namath, played in a rock and roll band, a country band and later sang in the Marine Corp Choir. He shared his love of music with his family throughout his life.
He served his country proudly in Vietnam and continued his distinguished military service for 24 years. He retired as a Master Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Corps motto, Semper Fi, means “always faithful”. He was always faithful in every aspect of his life.
Fred accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior in 1999. Up until that point, he always felt that he had done too many horrible things in his life and that God would never accept him. A quote from John Newton, the writer of Amazing Grace, “Although my memory’s fading, I remember two things very clearly; I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior!”
That certainly agrees with Fred’s sense of Luke 12:48. “…For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required”. This verse best expressed Fred’s sense of wanting to give back to Christ the “much required”. He understood that the “much required” was obedience to the Great Commission: Matthew 28:16-20; to Go, share the Gospel…tell everyone who will listen the Good News of Salvation in Jesus. From that point forward, his passion in life was to tell others of Jesus’ love for them and His plan of salvation. His boldness in his faith was evident in every capacity where he served his Lord. Inside his church, Fred faithfully served as a Deacon, Sunday School teacher, choir member and was active in the Men’s Ministry. Outside the church walls, he boldly preached the Gospel to anyone he came across in life.
He loved to ride his motorcycle with the faith riders in order to share the gospel to all he came in contact with. Even in his last days in the hospital, being weak and unable to speak, he would sign to his nurse – “I love you, and there’s nothing you can do about it”. Anyone who knew Fred, loved him. His larger-than-life persona will live on in all of our hearts and in our memories…until we meet again.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 22 at the Bethlehem Independent Christian Church on Kite Hollow Road near Stanley, Va. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
Arrangements are being handled by The Bradley Funeral Home in Luray, Va.
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