COLUMBIA – Lt. Col. David Brown Brooker (Ret.), 78, passed away June 24th in Lexington Medical Center following a brief illness. Funeral services with full military honors will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1715 Broad River Road, with burial in Melrose Memorial Gardens in Swansea. The family will receive friends from 6-8:00 p.m. Wednesday at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, 7600 Woodrow Street in Irmo. Honorary pallbearers will be Enrique Janer, Lucius Cuthbert Brooker, III, Chuck Statler, the ladies and gentlemen of the Columbia Bank of Cooperatives and Pearson Professional Center of Columbia. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Carolina Children’s Home. Born in Lexington County, Lt. Col. Brooker was the son of the late Honorable Lucius Cuthbert Brooker, Sr., M.D. (Lexington Representative to the House) and Margaret Brown Brooker. He was a graduate of Carlisle Military School, attended The Citadel where he was a pianist for The Citadel orchestra and graduated from Presbyterian College with a B.S. in biology as a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and Pi Sigma Chi science fraternity. As a youth, he achieved the level of Eagle Scout of the Order of the Arrow of the Indian Waters Council. Upon graduation from college, he became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, serving as a Company Commander and Battalion Intelligence Officer with the 24th and 25th Infantry Divisions, 3rd battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment and Raider Platoon during the Korean War where they were recognized for heroism under fire. He was highly decorated, receiving the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean Services Medal with two bronze stars, and the Army of Occupation Medal. He also served in the Retirement Honor Guard for General Douglas McArthur. Once separated from active duty, he became an Army Reserve Training Officer and later was appointed as the S.C. Liaison Officer to the United States Military Academy at West Point due to his natural leadership ability. He was inducted into the S.C. West Point Graduate Association as an honorary member. In his retirement, Dave found that he could not remain idle. He served as the Lead Test Administrator for the Pearson Professional Centers of Columbia. In addition to retiring from the U.S. Army, Dave retired after 25 years as the Senior Vice President to the Columbia Bank of Cooperatives in 1986. He then joined the S.C. Department of Commerce as an economic development manager from which he later retired after 15 years of service. He was a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church and Chairman of the Board of Deacons at Rose Hill Presbyterian Church. Prior to marrying Martha Ellen Alvoid, he was a member of the Columbia Batchelor’s Club. Later he became a charter member and past president of the Evening Optimist Club of Columbia, past charter member-organizer and director of the Cayce Rotary Club, past member-organizer and director of Triangle City Merchant’s Association, past president and director of Columbia Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) receiving the Key Member award in 1955. Surviving are his wife of 23 years, Ann M. Brooker; children from his first marriage, Kathryn E. Brooker and fiance, Owen Holmes, IV, of Newberry, David Brooker Jr. and wife, Dawn, of Columbia, Douglas C. Brooker and wife, Ana, of Atlanta, Ga; grandchildren, Graham Brooker, Haley Brooker and Dakota Brooker; stepchildren, David E. Starkey of Atlanta, Ga., Sharon S. Statler and husband, Chuck, of Columbia, Darryl L. Starkey and wife, Missie, of Columbia as well as stepgrandchildren, David Starkey, Alyssa Starkey, Robby Statler, Susannah Starkey, Jack Starkey and Garret Starkey; sister-in-law, Millie Brooker, of Summerville, nephew, Lucius C. Brooker, III of Denver, Colo., and niece, Deborah S. Brooker of Charleston. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, L.C. Brooker, Jr. with whom he was extremely close. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the medical staff of the 4th floor ICU at Lexington Medical Center for the loving care they provided to Dave during his final days. Their kindness and support will always be remembered, with special thanks to Judy, Sam, Jenny and Erica. To quote General Douglas McArthur, revered by Lt. Col Brooker, Old soldiers never die, they just fade away. Although you are gone and at rest, you will never fade away in our hearts. «Obituary posted: June 27, 2006»
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