E. Brooks Bornhofft

Dec 8, 1976 - Sep 29, 2026

Elias Brooks Bornhofft, known throughout his life as Brooks, died unexpectedly on Sep 29, 2026, at the age of 49.

Brooks grew up in Prides Crossing, Massachusetts, and made Cape Elizabeth, Maine, home with his wife, Emily Calise, and their two young sons, Elias and Alden. He was the son of Nancy Daly Church and the late J. Eric Bornhofft, and the brother of Eric Bornhofft.

Brooks attended Shore Country Day School, The Governor’s Academy, and Colgate University, where he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and the rowing team. He later earned an M.B.A. from Boston University School of Management and worked for over twenty years in technology. He was a member of Boston’s Union Boat Club.

He had an extraordinary knowledge of and passion for the natural world. Active, kind, curious, engaging, and with a clever wit, Brooks had an energy that was entirely his own. He tackled life’s adventures, big and small, such as climbing Mt Kilimanjaro with his mother and brother and building mountain biking trails with his sons.

An expert birder, Brooks shared his passion in his popular column in The Cape Courier. Since 2018 he brought biweekly field observations, natural history, and anecdotes, often including Elias and Alden, together for his readers in the “Local Birding Report.” The poetic column is a lasting record of his love of birds, natural spaces, and family. Brooks volunteered with BirdSafe Maine and was on the board of the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust.

Above all, Brooks cherished his family. He was a devoted husband to Emily and a superb and loving father to Elias and Alden. He was unique and admirable in his attentiveness to his sons and his ability to enter their worlds rather than just observe from the outside. He loved sharing his favorite place, Annisquam, Massachusetts, with his sons, Emily and extended family.

Brooks leaves a legacy in his writing, environmental work, family, and relationships with the community, and those that knew him will continue to carry Brooks in each changing season.

A celebration of life will be held in Annisquam, MA in summer 2027.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust.