And more on Jack Brooks

Beloved Texas Democrat, Jack Brooks dies at 89 years old

Tuesday night, Jack Brooks died in Texas after experiencing a sudden illness; he was 89. Brooks spent 42 years in Congress and was part of the motorcade in Dallas when JFK was assassinated. Jack Brooks would have been 90-years-old on December 18.

Brooks died at the Baptist Hospital of Beaumont in Texas and was surrounding by family.

A good-old-country-boy from Texas, Brooks once said:

I'm just like old man Rayburn. Just a Democrat, no prefix or suffix.

Brooks was a supporter of Lyndon Johnson in the 1950s and 1960s.

Jack Brooks is in the now famous photo of Jacqueline Kennedy in Airforce One the day JFK died. Brooks is the second man from the left. He was also seen comforting Jacqueline that day and was in the motorcade when JFK was shot.

Brooks was elected to the House in 1952, and returned to office another 20 times over the last 40 years.

Brooks was somewhat famous for chewing on cigars and complaining about bureaucrats wasting taxpayers' money. He once said:

I never thought being a congressman was supposed to be an easy job, and it doesn't bother me a bit to be in a good fight.