.....age 81, went to the Church Triumphant on August 3, 2022.

Brooks was born in Flint on December 13, 1940, to Charles Ernest and Pauline Winona (Brooks) Vinyard. He married Nancy Brown on May 7, 2016. Brooks worked many jobs throughout his very interesting life, including driving tour buses at Denali National Park in Alaska, hunting guide in Alaska, and was a diesel engine mechanic. He also played hockey for the Flint Generals. Brooks was an avid outdoorsman and loved fly fishing, hunting, trapping and bird watching. He enjoyed tinkering with leather work with deer hides, learning about history, talking politics and learning about what was happening in the world today. He enjoyed his dogs and cat, carried a buck knife everywhere he went and enjoyed smoking the occasional pipe or cigars.

Ernest is survived by his wife, Nancy Brown; children: Ernest “Ernie” Vinyard, Thomas Vinyard, Renee (David) Burke, Mindy (Chris) Allen; step children: Misty (T.J.) Shaver and John (Regina) Brown; grandchildren: Benny Vinyard, Paige Vinyard, Cherie Burke, Amanda Burke, David (Sarah) Burke, Raychel Burke, Stephanie Tolksdorf, Jonathan (Jennifer) Tolksdorf, Kane Shaver, Kody Shaver, Karson Shaver, Harlan Brown, Zachary Strickland and Skylar Strickland; 3 great grandchildren: Devin Burke, Blaine Burke and Brooks Burke.

MEMORIALS: may be given to the family (c/. Marinda Allen).