In Memory

Cleve G. Brooks VIEW PROFILE

Celebrating the Life of Cleve G. Brooks
March 14, 1949 – December 12, 2021

Cleve Gaylord Brooks was born on March 14, 1949, in Cleveland Ohio. He was the eldest of four sons born to Alice and Cleveland Brooks.  Cleve grew up in Mount Zion Congregational Church. He attended Robert Fulton Elementary School in Cleveland.  In 1961, the family moved to the Ludlow Community in Shaker Heights, Ohio, where he attended Woodbury Junior High School and Shaker Heights High School.

Cleve was active and involved with life.  He played baseball in the Cleveland Woodhill Park League,  enjoyed playing the drums, was an avid swimmer, and became a lifeguard. He loved dancing and ice-skating. He  was a member of Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and of both “Tots and Teens” and “Jack and Jill” social clubs. While in high school, he served as a member of the Student Council. He excelled in varsity wrestling and football. In 1967, he represented Shaker Heights High School in the State of Ohio wrestling competition.

Cleve graduated from Shaker Heights High School in 1967 and  enrolled at Indiana University in Bloomington. This was his father’s alma mater and Cleve was eager to follow in this father’s footsteps. At Indiana University, he was initiated into the Alpha Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity on February 25, 1968.  Cleve graduated from Indiana with  a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

After college, Cleve relocated to Oakland, California, where he worked as an accountant for Chevron. He later transitioned to a career as a bus operator for Regional Transit and retired in 2010 after 21 years of service. Cleve enjoyed both of his careers. After retirement, Cleve worked with H & R Block as a Senior Tax Analyst and Enrolled Agent.  During retirement Cleve spent more time playing golf and traveling.

Cleve married the love of his life, Carole, in 1987, in Santa Clara, California. Interestingly, Carole had also attended Indiana University, but she and Cleve did not meet there, even though they had overlapping years at the university. It wasn’t until later, after they both independently moved to California, that Cleve and Carole met through a mutual friend and alumna of Indiana University. Cleve followed his wife Carole’s example as a long-time SGI member and in 2000 became an SGI member himself. Over the years, Cleve and Carole opened their home for District Meetings and other SGI activities.  Cleve and Carole travelled extensively enjoying a full life together with family and friends. Their home was filled with love and generosity and everyone always felt welcome.

Cleve was an avid Cleveland Browns fan his entire life. In 1964, Cleve, his brothers, and his father attended the NFL championship where the Cleveland Browns defeated the Baltimore Colts. This was a thrilling moment for Cleve and he joined the celebration on the field after the victory! This may have been the beginning of Cleve’s life-long love of the Cleveland Browns and of attending their games with his family. He treasured years of long weekends traveling with his wife, brothers, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends to various cities throughout the country to watch the Browns play.

Cleve was loving, easy-going, kind-hearted, extremely generous, humorous, innovative, creative, and patient. He was generous with his time and often helped others. Cleve was a philanthropist giving to many organizations to make a better world.  Cleve remained positive throughout his illness, never complaining and always maintaining his faith.  On Sunday, the 12th of December 2021, Cleve passed away surrounded by his wife and his brothers Lester and Keith.

Cleve was preceded in death by his younger brother Adam Brooks and his nephew Kenny Brooks. He leaves to cherish his memory Carole, his devoted wife of 34 years, along with a beloved and close extended family: brothers Lester Brooks and wife Michelle, and Keith Brooks (recently deceased January 10, 2022)  and wife Mary; nieces Iris Brooks Dublin and husband Howard, Nicole Brooks, and Carole V. Peters; nephews Kelin Brooks, Adam Brooks, Jr., Sean Brooks, Tyler Brooks, and Gene D. Peters; his brother-in-law Gene Peters and wife Denise; and a host of endeared friends.

Cleve will be greatly missed by all who loved and knew him.





Click here to see Cleve G.'s last Profile entry.