Bruce Wayne Brooks' Obituary
Bruce Wayne Brooks, 76, of Riva, MD, passed away on Saturday, December 2, 2017 due to complications following multiple cardiac arrest events on Wednesday evening, November 29, 2017. He was born in Baltimore. He flourished for 26 years following a heart transplant in 1991.
Bruce held a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Business Management, and a Master’s Degree in Information Assurance. He served 4 years in the US Air Force as a weather observer; he also used those skills working at the National Weather Service supporting the Apollo and Skylab space programs – receiving awards from NASA’s Lunar Landing Team. Bruce also worked at NOAA’s Marine Fisheries – contributing to the effort to change aquaculture’s industry practices that led to voluntary inspections benefitting food safety. He spent the majority of his career at the Department of Defense, including the US Naval Academy and the US Department of Army. Bruce retired from DoD in 1994, but went on to work at the Smithsonian Institution’s Environmental Research Center (SERC) as a senior manager.
Bruce was a catalyst in providing structure and order wherever he went and was always eager to help where he could. He volunteered with the Heart Transplant Support Group following his heart transplant in 1991. Over time, he and a few others were instrumental in transforming the support group into the Heart Transplant Foundation as a non-profit organization which then grew into the Heart Transplant Foundation Support Fund. This organization provided the ability to assist other heart transplant recipients and their families with the means to offset some of the costs and logistical challenges that often accompanied the frequent and unexpected medical needs of heart transplant recipients.
Always interested in giving back to the transplant community, he never sat still and quickly engaged in more volunteer activities concerning the organ transplant community, wherein he actively participated with Team Maryland and the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland. Throughout the years, Bruce served in various positions on the Living Legacy Foundation’s Board of Directors, to include Chairman of the Board. Bruce’s wit, strong encouragement, and years in management helped Team Maryland grow from 6-10 participants to nearly 50 participants. Team Maryland is one of many nationwide teams that come together to compete at Olympic-style games geared toward organ transplant recipients in fellowship to celebrate the gift of life.
Bruce loved the water and at different points in his life, owned a sailboat “Anticipation” and a powerboat “B&B” to spend time on the water visiting the different sights along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. And of course, being a Marylander – he was an avid consumer of the local fare – Steamed Crabs of course! Bruce also made a mean chili – which he had an opportunity to make and enjoy this fall.
Bruce leaves behind his wife and best friend of 52 years, Barbara Brooks and two daughters- Christina and Heather, as well as the rest of the extended family….and, of course, Molly – their yellow Lab. Also, as a result of an ancestry project he and his wife had been investigating, Bruce recently connected with two newly discovered brothers (Steve and Bill), who flew out to Maryland to meet and visit him in October.
A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, December 16th at 12 noon with a reception to follow at Lasting Tributes Cremation & Funeral Care 814 Bestgate Rd. Annapolis, MD 21401. Inurnment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to… and/or…
Heart Transplant Foundation Support Fund
C/o Ms Deb Carter, CNP
Johns Hopkins Hospital
1800 Orleans St
Halsted 664
Baltimore, Maryland
21287,
Team MD C/o Living Legacy Foundation
1730 Twin Springs Rd
Suite 200
Baltimore, Maryland
21227.
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