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Richard D. Brooks, Ph.D.
08/23/2016

Richard D. Brooks, Ph.D., 80 died on August 23 at his home in Bethlehem, PA. in the presence of his family. He was born March 9, 1936 in Haledon NJ, the son of the late Harold K. Brooks and Erna (Hellstern) Brooks. He married Julia Theisz in 1958 and they celebrated 58 years of marriage last June.

A 1958 graduate of the former Newark College of Engineering (now New Jersey Institute of Technology,) he earned a Master of Science degree in electro-physics from Ohio State University in 1961 and a Ph. D. in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University in 1970.

He spent 3 years as an Electronics Intelligence Officer in the Air Force (1959 – 1961).

The major part of his subsequent 33-year career at AT&T Bell Laboratories was in Telecommunications Device & Systems Research and Development as a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff and a Supervisor of Technical Staff.  He served as Manager of Technical Staff at AT&T Microelectronics (now Lucent Technologies) for the final three years of his career. He authored scientific publications in Microwave Circuits, Integrated Circuits and Optical Data Links and received a U.S. patent for Noninverting Current Mode Logic.

He has been a member of the Unitarian Church of the Lehigh Valley since 1966 and served as vice-president from 1967-8. He was vice-president of the former Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra from 1982 -1983 and president of the Emmaus Rotary Club from 1983-1984, receiving two Paul Harris Awards. He was both vice president and president for numerous terms in the seventeen years he served on the board of trustees of the Emmaus Public Library.

An avid sailor, skier, windsurfer and kayaker in his younger years, he also enjoyed woodworking, playing duplicate bridge, singing bass and playing the guitar.

He is survived by his wife Julia, daughter Linda Beck and her husband Jeff of Bethlehem,  son Scott Brooks and his wife Bonna, and two grandchildren, Ann and David Brooks of Elizabethtown, PA, as well as, numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Music Fund of The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 10 at 3 p.m. at his church, followed by a reception.