Plainwell Mayor Richard Brooks has died after a short illness, city officials said.
City clerk/treasurer Brian Kelley said they’d been notified by Brooks’ family that he’d died at home under hospice care about 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 25.
“That is unfortunately true,” Kelley said.
He said the city hadn’t heard more details on what the illness was or any funeral arrangements as of Friday morning.
The mayor was missed at the Ransom District Library groundbreaking Thursday, July 25, and several speakers offered prayers and good wishes to him and his family, not having heard the news yet that he’d died. Brooks was especially well-known at the library for reading to children on Dr. Seuss Night.
Brooks lived in Plainwell for about 53 years and he and his wife Theresa have two sons, Chris and Pete, and five grandchildren.
He served on the city council for 26 years and spent 20 of those as mayor, last being reelected in 2018.
Contact Dan Pepper at dpepper@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534.
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