Listen to the full "Doug & Daddy Show" interviews with Bill Muckalt and Greg Shea here (interview start at 39:15).

KEARNEY, Neb. — The celebrated former owner of the Tri-City Storm has passed away. 

Brooks owned the Storm, which is the USHL hockey franchise in Kearney, from 2009-2019. He oversaw a period of success for the team, including winning the 2016 Clark Cup championship and the 2019 Anderson Cup.

Former head coach Bill Muckalt joined “The Doug & Daddy Show” on ESPN Tri-Cities on Monday to remember his former boss.

“It was always about, ‘hey, what can we do in the community,'" Muckalt said. "'What can we do for the kids to make their experience better?’”

Brooks lived in Las Vegas and owned the Las Vegas Ice Center. His son, Kenny, played for the Storm and is involved in operating the Ice Center.

“(Brooks was) just a tremendous person that had a passion for hockey,” Muckalt said.

One of Brooks’ first hires in Kearney was general manager Greg Shea.

“Kirk was the kind of guy that could write a deal down on a napkin, and you knew it was solid," Shea said.

As a matter of fact, Shea accepted Brooks’ offer over breakfast at Perkins in Kearney.

Shea says Brooks was famous for putting in hard work alongside his staff, even on tasks like landscaping.

“I am where I am today, even outside of the sports world, really because of Kirk,” Shea said.

The USHL and the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights each issued statements on Brooks’ passing. His family announced his death through the Ice Center.

“Kirk was not only a visionary leader but also a mentor and friend to many,” the statement said. “Hockey was his true passion, and his legacy will endure through the many kids who passed through his rink.”