Mary Lucille Brooks

Born in Ames, Iowa, on July 23, 1936 at Mary Greeley Hospital. Parents were Steve and Lucille Brooks.
Raised on a farm in the Napier Community where I graduated from Napier High School. I attended
Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, before transferring to Eastern New Mexico University where I
received a Bachelors Degree in Music Education and a Master of Arts Degree in Music. While attending
ENMU I was a member of Tau Beta Sigma, a national organization for Band Women. I served as National
Secretary and became National President of that group, serving in that office for 2 years. I taught
elementary music in Seagraves, Texas, and Artesia, New Mexico, before getting my first High School
Music job in Kirtland, New Mexico. During my 15 years teaching there I taught Jr. High and High School
Band and Choir. I also sponsored the Native American Club, and the H.S. Cheerleaders. In 2005, I was
honored by the Kirtland Central School District, by having the new Performing Arts Center at that school
in Kirtland named The Brooks- Isham Performing Arts Center. This is along with my good friend, Janet
Isham, the Band Director that followed me. My love for that part of the country was very dear to my
heart. I loved the Indian students and parents and have spent many hours on the Navajo Reservation
visiting and vacationing. I continued my teaching in Gallup, NM, where I was a High School choir
director, Drama Coach, and English teacher. In both Farmington and Gallup I was very involved with
Little Theater work both as an actress and director. Upon moving to Arizona City, I became involved with
First Presbyterian Church in Casa Grande where I sang in the choir, directed the church choir, started the
Hand Bell choirs and directed at least one of those groups for 21 years. I also was a staff member as the
Worship Director for First Presbyterian, a position I held for over 10 years. While living in Arizona I have
also worked for the Arizona City Club, the Arizona City Chamber of Commerce and served on the
governing boards of the Arizona City Club, the Pinal County Development Board, and for 23 years was a
part of the Pinal County Town Hall Planning Committee. I have also been a member of the Central
Arizona College Concert Band and the CAC Hand Bell Choir since coming to Arizona. Besides my parents I
am preceded in death by brothers, Richard and Howard Brooks, and sisters, Bette Hawk and Marjorie
Grouwinkel Nooteboom, and two nephews, Ron Hawk and Rick Grouwinkel. I am survived by a sister,
Janice Miller of Hermosa Beach, California, 11 nieces and nephews, and many great and great, great
nieces and nephew. Memorial Donations can be made to First Presbyterian Church Bell Choir, or Eastern
New Mexico University, Floren Thompson Band Scholarship Fund.