Lowell S. “Bud” Brooks, Jr., 90, of Allendale, NJ, passed away on August 13, 2025, in Allendale, NJ. He was born in Kingston, New York, in 1934, alongside his identical twin brother, Lynn, to his parents, the late Margaret and Lowell S. Brooks, Sr.
He attended Kingston High School, where he was on the ski team and began his lifelong service with the National Ski Patrol. A graduate of Norwich University (1957) and later Fairleigh Dickinson University (MBA, cum laude, 1968), Bud served as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before beginning a distinguished career in engineering, information systems, and business management, retiring from Cytec Industries in 1999.
In 1963, Bud married Ellen Schutz, and together they raised two children, Lowell “Scott” and Amy, in Allendale, where they lived for over 50 years. Bud was a devoted husband and lovingly cared for Ellen in her final years, as she battled Alzheimer’s, until her passing in 2018.
He was deeply involved in his community, serving on the Allendale Planning Board for 18 years, as an Elder at Highlands Presbyterian Church, and with the Holiday Observers. Summers were spent in Weekapaug, RI, where Bud was an active member of the Weekapaug Yacht Club, the Watch Hill Yacht Club, as well as a former longtime member of the Weekapaug Golf Club.
A lifelong skier and patroller, he served 57 years with the National Ski Patrol achieving Lifetime Membership and received numerous honors, including National Appointment #2780, a National Certificate of Appreciation, and the Patriot Star.
Bud is survived by his children, Scott and his wife Gretchen (Ede), and Amy and her husband Jay Sarzen; his grandchildren, Charlie Brooks, Maggie Brooks, and Andrew Sarzen, his twin brother, Lynn, as well as other beloved family members.
He will be remembered for his devotion to family, his service to church and community, and his lifelong love of skiing, sailing, and golf. At the end of his life, he considered himself to be one of the most fortunate people in the world.
A visitation with Bud’s family was held at the VanderPlaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff, NJ on Thursday, September 4, 2025. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Weekapaug Chapel in Weekapaug, RI in the Spring of 2026. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Weekapaug Chapel, Weekapaug, RI.
