Peter Brooks, 27 [final]

Ryan Johnson
Obit Final Copy
Peter Brooks

Peter Brooks, an employee of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Department of Residence Life and an award winning screenwriter, died Saturday when he saved a dog by pushing it out of the way of a PT Cruiser, but was unable to move out of it’s path before he was run down. He was 27.

Brooks was born in Wauwatosa, Wisc. To David and Lynn Brooks. He often talked about his time at Wauwatosa High School, specifically his “Mia” experience, where he got to fell head over heels for a girl, got to date her and got his heart broken all in the space of a year.

Brooks worked all across America, holding residence life jobs at Arizona State University, the University of Missouri Columbia and finally returning to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where he had received his undergraduate degree in Radio-TV-Film. As a student at Oshkosh, Brooks participated in making student films and worked on becoming a screenwriter, winning awards for his work. He also co-founded the Society to Enhance Pirate Culture Across Oshkosh (SEPCAO) and was employed as a community advisor, which ultimately led him into the field of student affairs.

Brooks got his job at Arizona State University by what he described as random chance. Brooks often liked to talk about how he has been walking down his hallway reading about who he could interview with at the Oshkosh Placement Exchange, when he tripped. When he looked at the magazine again it was open to Arizona State University, so he decided to interview with them.

When he returned to Oshkosh as a residence hall director, Brooks served as the advisor for Skripters, the campus screenwriting club. Brooks wanted to help new and emerging screenwriters succeed in their careers. He also founded Future Leaders of Student Affairs (FLoSA), which advised student leaders looking into the student affairs field. Both FLoSA and Skripters will continue in his absence under the advisement of his friend and co-worker, David Landenberger.

Reading was one of Brooks’ many passions and his tastes ranged from fantasy novels to home improvement manuals. He had an extensive comic book collection that is being auctioned off to raise money for his favorite charity, the Big Brothers/ Sisters of the Fox Valley. Brooks believed in the power of volunteering and, as a residence hall director, he offered students many opportunities to serve their community and make their surroundings better.

“He loved his job,” said Katie Seibel a Clemans Hall desk worker. “He was always willing to listen and help us with our problems.”

Many of Brooks’ employees said that Brooks was easy to approach and had a very “laid back” relationship with them. “He was the best boss I ever had,” said Jeff Pederson, a community advisor in Clemans Hall, which Brooks was in charge of before he moved to South Scott Hall in January of 2005.

Peter Brooks is survived by his mother and father, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Visitation will be on Tuesday, Feb. 9 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Saint Mark’s Funeral Home in Wauwatosa. The following day funeral services will be held at Our Lady, Our Savior Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m. For those unable to attend these services, the University of Wisconsin of Oshkosh is sponsoring a memorial service at Reeve Memorial Union on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 7:00 p.m. Donations will be taken at the ceremony, which will be put into a fund to help pay Brooks’ funeral expenses.