1922
John
2016
John William Brokaw
June 4, 1922 — June 18, 2016
John William “Bill” Brokaw was born in Rockport, Illinois on June 4, 1922. He died in Warrenton, Missouri on June 18, 2016 of natural causes.
Bill was preceded in death by his daughter Carol Reichenbacher, his grandson John Paul Brokaw, his sister Betty Leeper, his brother Charles and his brother Herbert.
He is survived by his wife Georgie, his children, Gordon Brokaw, Gary Brokaw, and Connie Brokaw Owens, 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and one great-great- grandson. His family was everything to him.
Bill was a member of the Masonic Lodge, a Mason for over 50 years.
As a child he resided in Rockport, Illinois with his parents Sherman and Verna Brokaw until he graduated from high school and moved to Chicago. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He fought in the bloody Battle of Tarawa in the Pacific Theater of World War II in November 1943.
After 5 years in the Marine Corps he moved to Louisiana, Missouri where he worked as a Motor Cycle Police Officer and met the love of his life Georgie Viola Moore. They were married on September 26, 1947 and moved to St. Charles, MO to start a family. Bill worked at Ford Motor Company for a number of years before going to work in construction as a Pile Drive for Fruin Colin Construction where he worked on such projects as the Blanchette Memorial Bridge and the Alton Dam.
After 23 years in St. Charles the family moved to Potosi, Missouri where Bill worked with his brother-in-law on a 400 acre cattle ranch for several years. Bill and Georgia made many close friends in Potosi and belonged to the Ozark Heights Baptist Church where they both attended faithfully until Bill’s health began failing over the past couple of years. They recently moved to Warrenton, Missouri to be close to their children.
Bill was a hard-working and honest man with whom you always knew where you stood. He did not suffer fools well. He could be ornery and tough as he could be gentle and loving. He didn’t mince words, if you did something stupid he had no problem telling you about it. He was the dichotomy of political correctness. If something was B.S. he was always willing and quick to acknowledge it as such.
He was a good man to have on your side, through thick and thin he was always there for his family and friends. He will be terribly missed by all who knew him well.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Toys for Tots or The BackStoppers.
Bill was preceded in death by his daughter Carol Reichenbacher, his grandson John Paul Brokaw, his sister Betty Leeper, his brother Charles and his brother Herbert.
He is survived by his wife Georgie, his children, Gordon Brokaw, Gary Brokaw, and Connie Brokaw Owens, 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and one great-great- grandson. His family was everything to him.
Bill was a member of the Masonic Lodge, a Mason for over 50 years.
As a child he resided in Rockport, Illinois with his parents Sherman and Verna Brokaw until he graduated from high school and moved to Chicago. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He fought in the bloody Battle of Tarawa in the Pacific Theater of World War II in November 1943.
After 5 years in the Marine Corps he moved to Louisiana, Missouri where he worked as a Motor Cycle Police Officer and met the love of his life Georgie Viola Moore. They were married on September 26, 1947 and moved to St. Charles, MO to start a family. Bill worked at Ford Motor Company for a number of years before going to work in construction as a Pile Drive for Fruin Colin Construction where he worked on such projects as the Blanchette Memorial Bridge and the Alton Dam.
After 23 years in St. Charles the family moved to Potosi, Missouri where Bill worked with his brother-in-law on a 400 acre cattle ranch for several years. Bill and Georgia made many close friends in Potosi and belonged to the Ozark Heights Baptist Church where they both attended faithfully until Bill’s health began failing over the past couple of years. They recently moved to Warrenton, Missouri to be close to their children.
Bill was a hard-working and honest man with whom you always knew where you stood. He did not suffer fools well. He could be ornery and tough as he could be gentle and loving. He didn’t mince words, if you did something stupid he had no problem telling you about it. He was the dichotomy of political correctness. If something was B.S. he was always willing and quick to acknowledge it as such.
He was a good man to have on your side, through thick and thin he was always there for his family and friends. He will be terribly missed by all who knew him well.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Toys for Tots or The BackStoppers.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John William Brokaw, please visit our flower store.
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