Dunbar Brooks
Dunbar Brooks, the first African American president of the Baltimore County School board died Aug 17 at 63.
Brooks also served as president of the Maryland State Board of Education from 2007-2008 and worked extensively with the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC), where he rose from a planner to the Director of Data Development.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to know Dunbar,” Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said. The two men met about 20 years ago, when Kamenetz was campaigning for the Baltimore County Council.
Kamenetz said Dunbar was an advocate for the needs of African Americans and for the needs of Baltimore County’s children. He said that Dunbar always wanted to make sure that all children were challenged, and didn’t accept excuses.
“He did not tolerate substandard expectations for any child. He was all about performance and outcome and raising the bar. I was always struck by that as sending the appropriate signal,” he said.
Kamenetz issued a statement, Aug. 19, reflecting on the contributions Brooks made to his community as well as ordering that the flag outside of the County courthouse be lowered to half mast.
The memory I have most of him is his perseverance for kids and education,” said Larry Klimovitz, executive director of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. “Trying to be a mentor and an advocate for education for kids in the Baltimore region.”
“He always treated those around him with respect, which earned others’ respect, and he made decisions based on his high ethical standards throughout his life and career,” the BMC released in a statement. “He spent much of his long career gathering pertinent U.S. Census, population, household and employment data for the Cooperative Forecasting Group to use in producing the travel demand model, economic research and for long-term transportation planning. “
He chaired a lot of committees and did a lot of work with the region’s elected officials according to Klimovitz.
“He was an incredibly good natured, kind-hearted community-minded individual. A statesman by every definition of the world. If I had a flag, I’d fly it at half mast for him.”
Brooks is survived by his wife of 37 years, Edythe, a daughter, Cheryl Renee Brooks of Dundalk; a stepson, Gary Arthur Young of Vienna, Va.; a stepdaughter, Tracey Young Williams of Dundalk and three grandchildren.
Services for Dunbar will begin with a wake, 10 a.m., Aug. 26 at his home church, St. Matthew UM Church, 105 Main Street in Turners Station, followed by the funeral at 11 a.m. A memorial service will be held 6 p.m., Sept. 19 in the theater of the Community College of Baltimore County, Dundalk campus.