Brooke Van de Brake Sr. passed away April 14, 2022 in Mount Vernon, WA.

Brooke was born in Ellensburg, WA and grew up in Thorp. He graduated from Thorp High School in 1963 and attended Central Washington University, studying to be a teacher. He was an extremely competitive basketball player through high school. That competitiveness carried into everything he did in his life, both in his hobbies and his profession.

He grew up an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed those hobbies through his whole life. It was important to him that this was done with his family. Brooke began training dogs, primarily for bird hunting, for Bert Carlson in Issaquah, WA in the early 1970's. He acquired Sammamish Kennels from Bert in the late '70s and moved the business to its current location between Stanwood and Conway in Skagit County in 1985. Brooke trained dogs for people from all walks of life, from professional athletes and doctors to sheet rockers and farmers. He began competing in Retriever Field Trials in the late '70s. Brooke was well known as a professional dog trainer nationally.

Brooke is survived by his wife Charlotte; his 3 sons, Rick (Marsha), Brooke Jr. (Mel), and Chris; his two stepsons, Ron (Sue) and Steve (Becky); his grandchildren, Lauren, Frankie, Kylie, Brian, Bristal, Ashleigh, and Ryan; and his great grandchildren, Gracie and Valley; siblings, Gary (Kathy), Patti (Ross), Tammie (Glen), Phil (Linda), and Lisa (Dean).

His son Brooke Jr. and granddaughter Kylie continue to train dogs and compete at the same high level as Brooke Sr.