Dorothy Brewer Brooks

Dorothy Jeanne Brooks (née Brewer), age 100, passed away peacefully on the evening of December 19, 2025, in Kilgore, Texas, after a brief illness. A mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Dorothy’s century-long life was marked by resilience, devotion to family, and a deep sense of community. Born on November 6, 1925, on her grandmother’s farm in Sulphur, Oklahoma, Dorothy was the daughter of Floyd Oliver Brewer and Bonnie Buchanan Brewer. She grew up during the Great Depression alongside her sisters in a close-knit household where childhood joys included playing in the creek, climbing trees, churning butter, and learning to cook biscuits on a wood stove. The family later relocated to Kilgore, Texas, drawn by the opportunities of the East Texas oilfield boom. Dorothy graduated from Kilgore High School in 1943 and maintained lifelong friendships with many classmates. She was an active member of the War Years Reunion Group until her passing. At seventeen, she moved to Kansas to live with relatives and soon began working for the U.S. government at Strother Army Airfield during World War II. Her work took her to Denver, Colorado, and later to Brownsville, Texas, where she enjoyed the citrus groves and the jubilant atmosphere marking the war’s end. After returning to Kilgore, Dorothy married Thomas (Tom) Minton Brooks, a fellow Kilgore High School graduate. Together they built a life rooted in faith and family. A devoted member of Post Oak Church of Christ until her passing, she cherished her church community deeply.

Dorothy was also a proud and active member of several heritage organizations. She served as chair and officer of various committees within the Samuel Paul Dinkins Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for over fifty years. She was also a dedicated member of the Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century, New England Colony Chapter.

A woman of many talents and passions, Dorothy was an accomplished seamstress and an excellent cook. She especially loved spending time with friends and family over a lively game of 42. Her daily visits and weekend lunches with her siblings were treasured and fun, especially when all gathered for each other’s birthdays and Christmas celebrations. Her warmth and unwavering support made her “the Best Mother” in the eyes of her children—a role she embraced wholeheartedly.

In recent years, Dorothy resided at Arabella Senior Assisted Living in Kilgore. Though mostly confined to her room, she kept her door open to greet neighbors and caregivers with a wave or kind word. Her presence brought comfort and joy to visitors and those around her.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter Judy Lee Brooks Carpenter of Kilgore; her grandson, Bradley Brooks Carpenter, and his wife, Chelsea, and her great-grandson Reed Brooks Carpenter, all of Dallas. She is also survived by her daughter Shelley Jo Brooks Hearne and husband Mark Lynn Hearne, and her granddaughter India Jo Hearne, also of Dallas.

She is further survived by her brother James Edward Brewer and his wife Abbey Brewer of Fort Worth, Texas, nephews Keith Norris and Kenneth Norris, Jerry Wilson, Roger Wilson, William Brewer, and Douglas Brewer, and nieces Sue Wilson Bennett and Tiffany Southwell Ronan, as well as many great nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her husband Tom; beloved son James (Jim) Thomas Brooks; parents Floyd and Bonnie Brewer; sisters Barbara Billie Southwell, Mary Jo Wilson, Dell Brewer Birdsong; brother Gene Davis Brewer; nephew Kelly Walt Southwell; and niece Anna Jane Southwell Quinn.

Dorothy Jeanne Brooks leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, enduring faith, and a hole in our hearts. May her memory bring comfort and joy to all who knew her. Local arrangements are under the direction of Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore. Services will be scheduled for a later date.