REEDVILLE—Retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Brooke French Read Jr., 90, of Reedville died on November 27, 2019.
He is survived by the love of his life, Susan Smith Read of Reedville; four children of his first marriage, Brooke F. Read III of Gaithersburg, Md., Anne Read Janey of Mount Olive, N.C., Elizabeth Read Leary of Elizabeth City, N.C., and Molly Read Potter of Hertford, N.C.; and three grandchildren, Sarah Leary and Lauren and Megan Read.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Brooke F. Read Sr. and Winona G. Read; and his sister, Elizabeth Read Anderson.
Born in Norfolk on January 6, 1929, he attended Staunton Military Academy, Staunton, and the Bullis School, Silver Spring, Md. before being appointed from the State of Maryland to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. However, he always considered himself a Virginian and resided in the Northern Neck at the time of his death.
Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in 1951, he was awarded a Bachelor of Science in engineering and commissioned in the U.S. Marines Corps. Later, he was awarded a Master of Arts in personnel administration by The George Washington University upon graduation from that institution in 1965. He also was a 1971 graduate of The National War College at Fort Leslie McNair, Washington, DC.
Trained as a field artillery officer, Col. Read held a variety of command and staff assignments in that specialty, including combat service in Korea (1952-53) and Vietnam (1965-66). He also served as an instructor at the U.S. Army Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Okla; guard officer, Marine Barracks, Yokosuka, Japan; company officer at the Naval Academy; and director of the Command Center, United Nations Command in Korea.
Col. Read’s decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with combat “V” and gold star in lieu of a second award, the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star in lieu of a second award, the Joint Services Commendation Medal and the Purple Heart. He also was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal as well as the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Unit Commendation, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation and the United Nations Medal.
Following retirement from active Marine Corps service, he served as treasurer of the Navy Relief Society for three years. He was later employed as administrative director with two electronic data processing firms before relocating to the Northern Neck in 1985. While residing in that area, he and his wife created a successful business in residential real estate sales. He also served as a member and treasurer of Smith Point Sea Rescue Service and attended Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church, Fleeton, where he became a delegate to the Council of the Diocese of Virginia, a vestryman, including service as senior warden and president of the Lower Rappahannock Region of the Diocese of Virginia. Since 2004, he has been an active member of Light of Christ Anglican Church in Heathsville and became a member of the Anglican Communion Network.
Services will be held at a later date at Light of Christ Anglican Church.
The family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers of Commonwealth Assisted Living, Visiting Angels and Hospice of Virginia.
The family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Building Fund of Light of Christ Anglican Church, PO Box 609, Heathsville, VA 22473; or Alzheimer’s Association, 4600 Cox Road, Suite 130, Glen Allen, VA 23060.
Currie Funeral Home LLC of Kilmarnock handled the arrangements.
