Brooks Richard Barvoets

Brooks R. Barvoets, age 96, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 1, 2023 at the Martin County Harper House Hospice after a period of declining health. Brooks was born in Albany, New York on April 26, 1927, to the late Ernest F. Barvoets and Patricia Brooks Barvoets and lived his life in the Albany area until moving to Stuart at age 73.

Brooks attended the Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) and went on to attend the A-12 program at Princeton University. While at Princeton, he was assigned to infantry basic training at Camp Gordon, Georgia, followed by a year serving his country in the United States Army with the military occupation forces in Germany, attaining the rank of T-5 Sergeant. Brooks then completed his academic studies at Dartmouth College, a member of the class of 1950. Brooks was a vice-president director of Williams Press, Inc., a one-time major magazine printer in the Capital District, and then President of Argus Press, Inc. In 1967 he was appointed a director of the State Bank of Albany where, for twenty-three years he found some enduring friendships. He served directorships in the Albany Symphony Orchestra, and Hope House. He was a founding member of Saint Gregory’s School for Boys and served several terms as a trustee. In 1971 he became involved with the Cancer Golf Crusade for twenty-five years, was chairman of the 1976 Albany County United Way campaign, a past member of the Saint Peter’s Hospital advisory board, and co-founder of Saint Pius X Church in Loudonville, NY.

Brooks was an accomplished jazz pianist and his love for the more traditional jazz idiom was well known to his friends and acquaintances. He and his musician friends formed a band called The Jazz Cellar Six and enjoyed jamming together during the sixties and seventies. He was a standing member of the Cape Cod Jazz Society and the Albany Musicians’ Association Local #14.

An avid golfer he was also a lifelong member of the Schuyler Meadows Country Club in Loudonville, NY, and enjoyed playing at Mariner Sands Country Club, Stuart, FL, his home for the last twenty-three years.

Brooks was predeceased by his beloved wife Mary Martel Barvoets in February 2016. He is survived by his children, Brooks Barvoets, Jr. of Niskayuna, NY, Carol Hoffman of Burnsville, NC, Peter Barvoets of Schenectady, NY, Joanne Daniels (Brian) of East Nassau, NY, and Cindy Barvoets of North Greenbush, NY. He is also survived by his brother, Donald A. Barvoets of Colorado Springs, CO, his grandson, George Hoffman of Chipley, FL, and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

At the request of the family, services and interment at St. Agnes cemetery in Menands will be held privately, and there will be no calling hours.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors’ Without Borders (doctorswithoutborders.org).

For the online condolences page, please visit www.Martin-Funeral.com.