Paul P. Brooks Jr.

Paul P. Brooks, Jr., 88, of Grand Island, NE passed away on Thursday, March 10, 2022 at his home.



Funeral services will be 11 AM Thursday, March 17, 2022 at Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island with Pastor Bonnie Linton-Hendrick officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in the Chapman Cemetery. Visitation will be an hour prior to the service. Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.



Paul Jr. was born on November 19, 1933 to Paul Sr. and Ona Mae (Bunch) Brooks in Belhaven, North Carolina.

He entered the Air Force on May 1, 1953 and served during the Vietnam War. He spent 20 years serving in the Air Force before retiring on May 31, 1973. He was united in marriage to Betty Joseph on May 5, 1957 in Marysville, Kansas. After which the couple lived many places following Paul’s career in the Air Force. They lived in Tennessee, Newport News, Virginia, he was then stationed in Japan for 18 months. Upon returning from Japan he was stationed in El Paso, TX, where the couple were blessed with their two children; William and Paula. He then was stationed in Topeka, KS, Guam, Altos, OK, went and served in Vietnam for a year, Austin, TX and then once he retired from the Air Force the couple made Chapman home. After retiring from the Air Force, he went to two years of college at Central Community College in Grand Island before working as a lineman and framer for 16 years.



He was a member of the Chapman United Methodist Church, the VFW and the DAV. He enjoyed being on the computer, doing crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles.



Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Betty; son, William “Bill” (Sharon) Brooks; daughter, Paula Behring; 10 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.



He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, William “Pete” Brooks, grandson, Cody Harder and son-in-law, Matt Behring.