BROOKS, Jr., James McKinney

James McKinney Brooks, Jr. of Marietta passed away on December 28, 2021 after a long illness. He was born in Malden, Missouri on February 12, 1944, the son of Geraldine Alexander Brooks and Lt. Colonel James M. Brooks, Sr.

Having been raised in a military family, Jim traveled extensively while growing up. He lived in Germany, Italy, and traveled with his family throughout the Mediterranean countries. After returning to the United States, his family moved to Laredo, Texas where Jim spent summers with his friends riding horses and fishing the Rio Grande River. He spent his high school years at Marion Military Institute in Alabama, followed by four years at the University of Georgia where he met Judy, his wife of 55 years, and graduated with a degree in Business Administration.

During the Vietnam War, he served honorably in the United States Army as a First Lieutenant in Cam Ranh Bay. Following his military service, he became a Certified Financial Examiner with the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. Jim spent the end of his 28 year career with the Banking Department in the mortgage fraud division and played an integral role in identifying and uncovering predatory lending practices that resulted in mortgage fraud in Georgia. In retirement, as a long-time landlord and property investor, Jim created a group called Concerned Landlords to preserve the rights of landlords in Cobb County. He was passionate about protecting the rights of property owners and participated in multiple initiatives to defend those rights. Jim was predeceased by his parents, Lt. Colonel James M. Brooks, Sr. and Geraldine Alexander Brooks as well as his beloved son, David Neal Brooks. He is survived by his wife, Judith Wooten Brooks, daughter, Jennifer Higgins-Brooks (Beth Anne), sisters, Sharyn Brooks Materna (Robert) and Gerry Anne Brooks Burwell (Tom) and four grandchildren, Ezra, Jaden, Zion and Judah Higgins-Brooks.

There will be a memorial service on Friday, January 7, at 2 PM at the Marietta National Cemetery, 500 Washington Avenue, Marietta, GA 30060. A reception will follow.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, that donations be made by mail to the Atlanta Humane Society, 981 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, or via their website: www.atlantahumane.org.