Richard Crawford Brooks

Richard Crawford Brooks, 76, of Newnan passed away Tuesday, October 11, 2022. He was born December 13, 1945 in Lake City, FL to the late Harold Brooks & Doris Crawford Brooks. Richard grew up in Lake City, FL before moving to Auburn where he graduated from Auburn High School in 1963. He received his undergraduate degree from Auburn University and his graduate degrees from the University of West Georgia. Richard Brooks served as a Coweta County teacher, principal, school system administrator and Superintendent of the Coweta County School system during his 30-year career in education, 1972 to 2002. Brooks began his educational career after several years as a manager for the Firestone Tire Company. He began teaching industrial arts at Newnan High School in 1972, before moving to the newly-opened O.P. Evans Junior High School as a teacher. In 1975, Brooks returned to Newnan High School as an Assistant Principal, under Principal Holmes Cunningham. In 1976 he was named the Principal of Central High School, which at that time served 9th and 10th grade students in the Newnan High district. In 1986, Brooks was appointed as the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services for the school system. Among the many duties of that position, Brooks oversaw the first major school construction program in Coweta County in 30 years. Between the 1950's and the 1985 only one new school - O.P. Evans Junior High, now Evans Middle School - had been built. The 1980's building program coincided with a significant increase in Coweta's suburban population growth. In 1994, Brooks was named Superintendent of Schools by the Coweta County Board of Education. In both positions, Brooks continued to oversee major capital programs to meet the rapid growth student enrollment. During Richard Brooks' administrative career, 12 new schools were built, including Northgate High School, Coweta County's third high school. With the exception of three older schools that were closed (Madras, East Newnan and Grantville Brown), every existing school in the county had been expanded or refurbished to some extent before Brooks retired as Superintendent. Two other dreams were realized during Brooks tenure as Superintendent - the establishment of the Central Educational Center and the start of construction on the school system's Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. Brooks worked with Dr. Joe Harless and Coweta County business leaders in the late 1990's to conceive of and establish the Central Educational Center, Coweta County's first charter school. After a community-wide planning process spanning several years, the state of Georgia approved CEC's charter as a joint partnership between the school system, West Central Technical College and the local business community. Brooks' career was dedicated entirely to the Coweta County public school system, and included eight years as Superintendent from 1994 until his retirement on March 31, 2002. Upon his retirement, Richard Brooks was honored by the Georgia legislature for his eight years of service as Superintendent of Coweta County Schools. In 2008, the Coweta County School System began construction on the county's 19th elementary school in northwestern Coweta County. The Coweta County Board of Education voted unanimously that year to name the school in honor of the former Superintendent of Schools. Brooks Elementary School was opened in August 2009. Always active in community service, Brooks has also served as Chairman and acting President of the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce, President of the local United Way, President of the Newnan Civitan Club, Chairman of the Coweta County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and on the Board of Directors for the First United Methodist Church of Newnan, among other honors and associations. In the 1990's Richard and Donna Brooks became the first married couple to be members of the Newnan Rotary Club at the same time. War Damn Eagle! Condolences may be expressed online at www.mckoon.com The memorial service is 11 a.m. Monday, October 17, 2022 at Newnan First United Methodist Church with Rev. Connor Bell, Dr. Jimmy Ellison, and Rev. Gary Parrish officiating. The visitation is Sunday afternoon between 3-5 p.m. at McKoon Funeral Home. Rather than flowers, the family requests donations be made to either Coweta Fellowship of Christian Athletes at www.cowetafca.org/donate or to Coweta Samaritan Clinic at www.cowetasamaritanclinic.org Survivors include wife, Donna Staples Brooks; children, Alyssa Payson, Ryan (Alexis) Brooks, Rebecca (Lee) Chisolm, Robin (Jeff) Brown; grandchildren, Charlie Chisolm, Brooks Chisolm, Drew Brooks, Mac Brooks, Ola Brown, Camille Brown, Pelham Brown, Cara Payson, Paul Bell; and brother, Randy Brooks. McKoon Funeral Home & Crematory (770) 253-4580

Richard Crawford Brooks

December 13, 1945 - October 11, 2022