Stan and Lynn Brooks: They Met on Henry Street
By Henry Street Settlement
Just as we were posting this story, we learned the sad news that Lynn Brooks passed away suddenly on May 4, 2013, just one day after her 60th wedding anniversary. We are sharing the story as it was written, with the blessing of her family, to honor her memory and the anniversary party she cherished.
At Henry Street Settlement, we change lives. Few would agree more than Stan Brooks, the legendary 1010 WINS news reporter, and his wife, Lynn, founder of Big Apple Greeter.
In 1952, Lynn, then a 22 year-old recent college graduate, was asked by friend to accompany her to a square dance held at Henry Street Settlement. “I had nothing else to do that night, and liked square dancing, so I thought it was a good idea,” said Lynn. Meantime, on Long Island, Newsday reporter Stan Brooks, 25, was just finishing up a story at when a colleague invited him to the square dance. After having dinner at home with his parents in the Bronx, he boarded the subway to Manhattan’s Lower East Side. When he arrived at Henry Street, his friend, who had arrived earlier, told him he’d met a nice girl — and then introduced Stan to the woman who would become his wife.
While it wasn’t love at first sight, it was certainly “interest” at first sight, and the two had many lunch — not dinner — dates as Stan was working nights. Three months later they were engaged, and three months after that they were married — just six months after they met at Henry Street!
They married in Manhattan and went on to have illustrious careers, three wonderful sons (and seven grandchildren) and a life that they both say has been “incredibly blessed.”
For their 60th wedding anniversary in May, their sons, Bennett, George and Rick, planned a very special surprise party — a square dance in Henry Street’s historic dining room. (Although Henry Street was where they had made their initial, and long-lasting connection, neither had been back since 1953, save for one time when Stan interviewed Joe Papp at Henry Street’s Abrons Arts Center.)
“It was a wonderful party,” said Lynn, adding how surprised they were when they arrived at the Settlement. Approximately 25 friends and family attended, enjoying the evening of dinner and square dancing.
Today, instead of retirement, Stan and Lynn are still hard at work. One can still hear “This is Stan Brooks, 1010 WINS” on the radio (where he has been a fixture since 1964) and find Lynn at her downtown office, where she continues the Big Apple Greeter program she founded in 1992 to elevate New York’s image by connecting visitors with real New Yorkers who volunteer to spend half a day sharing the neighborhoods they love.
