Longtime employee Lester Brooks, the Department of Nursing’s lead sterile processing technician for the operating room, died Feb. 9 as a result of complications from a stroke and a heart attack. He was 51.

Lester Brooks (Photo by Elaine Walker-Earle)

Brooks joined City of Hope in June 1977 at age 18. He began his 33-year tenure in Environmental Health Services and soon after transferred to a new position helping patients move between treatment areas and hospital rooms.

In 1988, he became an operating room workroom attendant and over the next two decades strived to ensure operating room surgeons, nurses and staff received the supplies and instrumentation they needed to care for patients.

“Lester had a very positive attitude and a great sense of responsibility toward his work and the patients he served,” said Pam Kenz, R.N., clinical nurse manager in the operating room and Brooks’ supervisor. “He was a good colleague and a great friend to many.”

Brooks’ siblings also have served as City of Hope staff members. His sister, Linda Brooks, currently is a scheduler in the Geri & Richard Brawerman Ambulatory Care Center. His brother Elijah was once a manager of environmental services, and his brother Phillip was a phlebotomist.

Brooks is survived by his wife, Terri, son Marcus and daughter Samara.