A funeral service to celebrate the life of Gerald Rhea Brooks will be held on Friday, July 3, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2201 Airline Dr., Bossier City, Louisiana. Burial will follow at Rose-Neath Cemetery in Bossier City. A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Officiating the service will be Rev. Garrett Boyte and Rev. Mary Richard.
Gerald Rhea Brooks, age 90, passed away peacefully on June 26, 2026, with his beloved family by his side.
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Gerald graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology. A proud Longhorn, he was also a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, where he formed lifelong friendships. As a young man, he was a member of the Civil Air Patrol and proudly served for eight years in the United States Naval Reserve.
Gerald had a lifelong passion for aviation. While attending college, he earned his pilot’s license in 1955. He later became an instrument-rated, multi-engine pilot and found great joy in flying throughout his life.
Gerald began his career in the oil industry, working in South Louisiana and Arkansas. In 1962, he moved to Bossier City, Louisiana, to establish the city’s first savings and loan institution, Bossier Federal Savings and Loan. He later became its President, and the institution was eventually renamed Heritage Federal Savings and Loan. In 1982, he returned to the oil business with Marlin Exploration, where he remained until his retirement in 2000.
A respected business and civic leader, Gerald devoted countless hours to serving his community. He served as President of the Bossier City Lions Club and President of the Chamber of Commerce. He was a past member of Palmetto Country Club and Shreveport Country Club, a member of the Shreveport Club, and served on the Board of the University Club as well as the Cambridge Club.
His faith was a guiding force throughout his life. As a devoted member of the Church of the Holy Cross in Shreveport, he served on the Vestry and held the positions of both Junior Warden and Senior Warden.
While Gerald enjoyed a successful career and a lifetime of community service, his greatest joy came from spending time with family and friends. He loved entertaining those he loved with his piano and his bagpipes, filling gatherings with music, laughter, and lasting memories. He never met a stranger, loved bringing people together, and found his greatest happiness in sharing music, laughter, and friendship with those around him.
An avid golfer, Gerald enjoyed countless golf trips with friends throughout the years. One of his favorite memories was a surprise 60th birthday trip to Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, and Spanish Bay. A devoted University of Texas football fan, he proudly attended the Texas–Oklahoma game at the State Fair of Texas for 46 consecutive years, a tradition he cherished.
Gerald is survived by his beloved wife, Tommie Sue McCranie Brooks; his daughter, Stephanie Kenigsberg of Port Aransas, Texas; his son, Cary Hart Brooks of Rosharon, Texas; seven beloved grandchildren; eight cherished great-grandchildren; and many loving nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carrie Bell Brooks and William Raymond Brooks.
Gerald will be remembered for his integrity, kindness, unwavering faith, adventurous spirit, and deep devotion to his family and friends. Whether at the piano, with his beloved bagpipes, in the cockpit of an airplane, on the golf course, or cheering on the Longhorns, he embraced life with joy and enthusiasm. His legacy of love, service, and friendship will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.
The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to Sherber Hardiman and Quincy Myles for their loving care and compassion. Their devotion brought comfort to Gerald and our family, and they truly became part of our family.
Honoring Gerald as pallbearers will be Dr. Michael Banda, Cary Rhea Brooks, Cary Brooks, Mike Giles, Coulter Neckar, Steve Moran, Aaron Kenigsberg, and Grant Bergman. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Ray Coghlan, Michael Patin, Chris Stansell, Wayne Simmons, Herschel Richard, Hinton Lampley, Burgess McCranie, David Harmon, and Dr. Robert Robinson.