History

George Brooks (left) and Cyrus White

Brooks & White Funeral Home was founded prior to 1914 in Hurdle Mills, NC by George D. Brooks and Cyrus Clifton White. They ran a blacksmith shop, woodworking shop, country store and garage. At that time the infant mortality rate was high and they offered infant caskets for sale in the store and then they later began providing a service. In the late 1920's, George D. Brooks moved to Semora in adjoining Caswell County and started a country store and funeral home. In the early 1930's, Merle Brooks, the oldest daughter of George D. Brooks graduated from Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science in Nashville, TN and went on to become one of the first female embalmers in the State of North Carolina.

Founder - Cyrus White

Later, the First Bank of South Boston was purchased and converted into a funeral home. This firm was named Brooks Funeral Home. Throughout the years, many of the family connections were employed by this firm. The next funeral home that was purchased was in Yanceyville, NC. This made the fourth in the Brooks & White organization. Following World War II in which four of five of Cyrus's sons were involved (the fifth and youngest son was in Korea), the oldest son, C.J. was sent to Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science in Nashville, TN and graduated June 28, 1947. C.J. then served his apprenticeship under Merle Brooks in South Boston. In 1951, the three brothers C.J., Lawrence and Jack White bought the J.J. "Dick" Woody Funeral Home from his widow and operated out of the house at 522 S. Main Street for the next 30 years. After many years of work and planning, Brooks & White Funeral Home was moved in 1981 to its current location at 907 Durham Road.

Cyrus White	C. J. White	Lawrence White	Jack White

Current Owners

Upon the death of each brother, a portion of the business was left to their family. Jack's son Jack W. "Bill" White, Jr. has been a licensed funeral director since 1982. Lawrence's daughter, Laurie W. Wrenn became a licensed funeral director in 1988. Her husband, Robert C. Wrenn graduated from Gupton-Jones in Atlanta, GA in 1988 and is now a licensed funeral director and embalmer. Lawrence's wife, Eloise R. White, and daughter, Shirley W. Bradsher, serve as vice president and board member, respectively. C.J.'s son James H. "Jimmy" White graduated from Fayetteville Technical Community College in 1997 and is now a licensed funeral director and embalmer.

Staff

Adam White, the fourth generation and current manager, graduated from Fayetteville Technical Community College with honors in 1998 and is now a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the State of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of Virginia. D. Duane Butner became a licensed funeral director and embalmer in 1992 and has been employed with the funeral home for over five years. Merle Terry is a funeral director’s apprentice, starting in November 2008 and JR Whitt is a funeral director’s and embalmer’s apprentice, starting in October 2009. Our valuable part-time employees include Cecil C. White (C.J.'s son), Marvin White (Cyrus's nephew), the Rev. Alfred Snipes, Lois Clayton, J.R. Whitt, Bobby Oakley, Danny Bumpass and Pastor John Pritchard. Our cemetery/maintenance worker is Lee West.

Our Staff