Sheldon von Hagen Brooks

Brooks Sheldon von Hagen, 82, of Key Largo, Florida, formerly of Wayzata, Minnesota, died Saturday, February 1, 2003 at his home in Key Largo from complications of prostate cancer. Born in Mpls January 10, 1921, son of Paul Andros and Hazel von Hagen Brooks, he attended the Blake School, Hotchkiss and graduated from The Thacher School in 1939. A member of the Yale Class of Ô43, during World War II Mr. Brooks served in the Navy Air Corps first as an instructor at Pensacola and later in the Pacific Theater flying for the Naval Air Transport Service. After the war, he was for 35 years the owner of Minnetonka Boat Works, retiring in 1985. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Polly Brooks Hollern and Barbara Brooks Kroos, and his brother, Anson Brooks. He is survived by Carroll, his wife of 21 years; three children of a previous marriage to the late Frances Atkinson Hewitt, Paul Andros (Pam) Brooks, Sky Atkinson Brooks, Molly Moyer Brooks; his sister, Stanley Brooks Gregory; and four grandchildren. Mr. Brooks was a member of the Key Largo Anglers Club, the Ocean Reef Club, Woodhill Country Club, Shikar Safari Club International, The Bohemian Club, Quiet Birdmen and numerous conservation organizations. Contributions in his memory to the Ocean Reef Medical Care Foundation, Ocean Reef Drive, Key Largo, FL 33037 or the Ridgeview Medical Center Foundation in care of Robert Stevens, 500 S. Maple St, Waconia, MN 55387 would be greatly appreciated. There will be a memorial service at a later date.

Published on February 5, 2003