Obituary for David Karl "Brooke" Brookreson
David Karl Brookreson passed away in his Vero Beach, FL home in the early morning hours of February 1, 2024, after a brief illness. David was born on August 4, 1948 to Kendrick and Elsa (Helander) on Ramey Air Force Base, in Aguadilla Puerto Rico. The youngest child of four, he spent his childhood living the life of a military family. These years were filled with frequent moves, family, friends, athletics, achievements, and his share of mischief.
David moved to the Philadelphia area 1966, when his father retired from the Air Force to become the assistant dean at the Temple School of Dentistry. It was at this time David’s parents joined Huntingdon Valley Country Club, where he quickly found himself counted among its elite golfers. He went to Temple University, where he co-captained their golf team and graduated with a degree in Physics. After graduation, David served in the United States Army Reserves. It was at this time he also met the love of his life, Dona (Luviano), and their lives were forever changed. David and Dona were married in 1970. Over the next seven years their family would quickly grow with five children, and career opportunities would bring them to Cleveland, OH, St. Louis, MO, and Overland Park, KS. By 1978, they found themselves back in the Philadelphia area. It was here that they would settle down and raise their family.
The years to come would bring David great successes in family, business, and golf. He was a true family man, and together with Dona, raised their children in a house filled with love. His early career was in sales, mostly in the paper and packaging industry. David eventually found a second career as a financial advisor. He retired from Wells Fargo Advisors in 2017. David’s love of the game of golf was constant throughout his life. He competed at the highest levels of regional, national, and international amateur golf. He celebrated numerous victories, while also knowing the sting of defeat. He loved competition, and he cherished the lifelong relationships that the game of golf provided. He loved to share the game with others. Whether on the golf course, the driving range, or sitting on the sofa, he was always happy to share his stories and listen to others’ as well. David was a long time member of Huntingdon Valley Country Club, Pine Valley Golf Club, and more recently, Grand Harbor Golf Club in Florida.
David was preceded in death by his parents, Kendrick and Elsa, his sister Maureen Kremers, and his grandson Tyler Cousins. David is survived by his loving wife Dona, his children, Josh (Linnea), Jenny Baumer (Tony), Kim Cousins (Jacob), Jesse (Molly), and Sayre Cragin (Dan), nineteen adoring grandchildren, a great granddaughter, his brother, Joe, sister, Ellen Ballard, and many loving nieces and nephews. He leaves behind a lifetime of friendships, which he held very dear to his heart.
The family will be receiving visitors at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 856 Euclid Ave, Warrington, PA 18976, on Tuesday, February 6 from 5pm-7pm and again from 9:30am-10:45am, with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11am. Interment to follow immediately after Mass, at Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Ambler, PA.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift in David’s memory to First Tee - Greater Philadelphia online at:
www.firstteephiladelphia.org/ways-to-give
or by mailing a check payable to First Tee - Greater Philadelphia to:
First Tee - Greater Philadelphia
800 Walnut Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19128
David moved to the Philadelphia area 1966, when his father retired from the Air Force to become the assistant dean at the Temple School of Dentistry. It was at this time David’s parents joined Huntingdon Valley Country Club, where he quickly found himself counted among its elite golfers. He went to Temple University, where he co-captained their golf team and graduated with a degree in Physics. After graduation, David served in the United States Army Reserves. It was at this time he also met the love of his life, Dona (Luviano), and their lives were forever changed. David and Dona were married in 1970. Over the next seven years their family would quickly grow with five children, and career opportunities would bring them to Cleveland, OH, St. Louis, MO, and Overland Park, KS. By 1978, they found themselves back in the Philadelphia area. It was here that they would settle down and raise their family.
The years to come would bring David great successes in family, business, and golf. He was a true family man, and together with Dona, raised their children in a house filled with love. His early career was in sales, mostly in the paper and packaging industry. David eventually found a second career as a financial advisor. He retired from Wells Fargo Advisors in 2017. David’s love of the game of golf was constant throughout his life. He competed at the highest levels of regional, national, and international amateur golf. He celebrated numerous victories, while also knowing the sting of defeat. He loved competition, and he cherished the lifelong relationships that the game of golf provided. He loved to share the game with others. Whether on the golf course, the driving range, or sitting on the sofa, he was always happy to share his stories and listen to others’ as well. David was a long time member of Huntingdon Valley Country Club, Pine Valley Golf Club, and more recently, Grand Harbor Golf Club in Florida.
David was preceded in death by his parents, Kendrick and Elsa, his sister Maureen Kremers, and his grandson Tyler Cousins. David is survived by his loving wife Dona, his children, Josh (Linnea), Jenny Baumer (Tony), Kim Cousins (Jacob), Jesse (Molly), and Sayre Cragin (Dan), nineteen adoring grandchildren, a great granddaughter, his brother, Joe, sister, Ellen Ballard, and many loving nieces and nephews. He leaves behind a lifetime of friendships, which he held very dear to his heart.
The family will be receiving visitors at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 856 Euclid Ave, Warrington, PA 18976, on Tuesday, February 6 from 5pm-7pm and again from 9:30am-10:45am, with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11am. Interment to follow immediately after Mass, at Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Ambler, PA.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift in David’s memory to First Tee - Greater Philadelphia online at:
www.firstteephiladelphia.org/ways-to-give
or by mailing a check payable to First Tee - Greater Philadelphia to:
First Tee - Greater Philadelphia
800 Walnut Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19128