Juanita Brooks was born October 22, 1924 in San Juan, Jalisco, Mexico and died November 20, 2008 at the Morris County Hospital in Council Grove, KS at the age of 84.
She was born to Juan and Severina Vasques and came to the United States at the age of two months when her family moved to Dwight, KS where her father worked for the Rock Island Railroad. The family later moved to White City. Juanita graduated from 8th grade at White City.
As a young woman Juanita and her sisters were well known on the dance scene in the White City-Dwight area for their great abilities on the dance floor. In fact, it was at a dance where she met her husband Wayne.
Juanita and Wayne maintained their Park Avenue home in Council Grove for over 40 years. There they raised four children, cared for numerous cats, dogs, and even some chickens and took pride in maintaining beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. They enjoyed traveling together. Their travels included camping trips to the Ozarks, donating to many casinos, vacations in the Rockies and spending time at the local reservoir. Juanita and Wayne celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2001.
Juanita worked many jobs in her lifetime. It was not unusual for her to work two jobs at the same time to contribute to the raising of her family. Some of her jobs included helping Wayne run a local café, where she was well known for her homemade pies, managing a laundry mat, and as a cook for 30 years at the local nursing home where she spent the last months of her life. One of her many non-paying jobs included preparing home-cooked meals for the prisoners when her husband was the local sheriff.
After Wayne's death she began volunteering to fill the lonely void she felt. She spent one day a week at the local thrift store and two days a week at the Senior Citizens Center. If not for the accident in June, she would probably still be volunteering.
Juanita was a member of the St. Rose Altar Society and also the Business and Professional Women's Club when it was active.
Juanita loved her family, friends, and faith dearly. She looked forward to her "Pepsi" dates with friends after their day at the thrift store, lived for Wednesdays for her lunch date with Marge and loved coffee time at the Senior Citizens Center. Her Catholic faith which was strongly instilled in her as a child never faltered, nor did her choice of pews at church, even though she did tend to visit with another good friend for awhile before Mass started.
But most important was her family. Juanita loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. From the early years of family vacations to the most recent years of Vasques family reunions with her siblings and nieces and nephews. She was always the happiest and proudest when talking about or spending time with her family.
Juanita was preceded in death by her husband Wayne and her parents.
She is survived by four children: Susan Dunegan and husband Ed, Santa Cruz, California; Mike Brooks and companion Katie Chaney, Sharmon Richardson and husband Rick, and Mark Brooks and wife Sharon all of Council Grove; ten grandchildren: Jim Dunegan and wife Jackie, Fresno, California; Mickey Dunegan, Santa Cruz, California, Troy Richardson, Lawrence, KS, Anthony Dunegan, Portland, Oregon; Tim Dunegan, Santa Cruz, California, Travis Richardson, Council Grove; Tansy Hayward and husband Chris, Tacoma, Washington; Jeremy Brooks and wife Terry, Minneapolis, Minnesota,; Amanda Craige and husband Derrick, Council Grove; and Nichole Morris and husband Pat, Wichita, Kansas;eleven great grandchildren: Ryan Dunegan, Nicholas Dunegan, Samuel Dunegan, Madison Hayward, Lily Hayward, Dustin Craige, Zachary Craige, Nicholas Craige, Ethan Craige, Addison Craige, and Kingston Brooks.
She is survived by three sisters: Mabel Voehl and husband Norman, Goleta, California; Mary Lou Galloway and husband Doug, Del City, Oklahoma; Ellen DeHoff and husband Pete, Council Grove and two brothers Ray Smith, San Jose, California and Joe Vasques and wife Rosemarie, Lompoc, California.
She is also survived by two sisters-in-law Mildred Brooks, Council Grove and Chona Brooks, Albuquerque, New Mexico and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial has been established in her name to the St. Rose Catholic Church Hall Building Fund.
Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at St. Rose Catholic Church with inurnment to follow in the Calvary Cemetery. A rosary will be recited at 700 p.m. tonight at the Penwell-Gabel Flint Hills Chapel with visitation to follow.
www.penwellgabelcouncilgrove.com
She was born to Juan and Severina Vasques and came to the United States at the age of two months when her family moved to Dwight, KS where her father worked for the Rock Island Railroad. The family later moved to White City. Juanita graduated from 8th grade at White City.
As a young woman Juanita and her sisters were well known on the dance scene in the White City-Dwight area for their great abilities on the dance floor. In fact, it was at a dance where she met her husband Wayne.
Juanita and Wayne maintained their Park Avenue home in Council Grove for over 40 years. There they raised four children, cared for numerous cats, dogs, and even some chickens and took pride in maintaining beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. They enjoyed traveling together. Their travels included camping trips to the Ozarks, donating to many casinos, vacations in the Rockies and spending time at the local reservoir. Juanita and Wayne celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2001.
Juanita worked many jobs in her lifetime. It was not unusual for her to work two jobs at the same time to contribute to the raising of her family. Some of her jobs included helping Wayne run a local café, where she was well known for her homemade pies, managing a laundry mat, and as a cook for 30 years at the local nursing home where she spent the last months of her life. One of her many non-paying jobs included preparing home-cooked meals for the prisoners when her husband was the local sheriff.
After Wayne's death she began volunteering to fill the lonely void she felt. She spent one day a week at the local thrift store and two days a week at the Senior Citizens Center. If not for the accident in June, she would probably still be volunteering.
Juanita was a member of the St. Rose Altar Society and also the Business and Professional Women's Club when it was active.
Juanita loved her family, friends, and faith dearly. She looked forward to her "Pepsi" dates with friends after their day at the thrift store, lived for Wednesdays for her lunch date with Marge and loved coffee time at the Senior Citizens Center. Her Catholic faith which was strongly instilled in her as a child never faltered, nor did her choice of pews at church, even though she did tend to visit with another good friend for awhile before Mass started.
But most important was her family. Juanita loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. From the early years of family vacations to the most recent years of Vasques family reunions with her siblings and nieces and nephews. She was always the happiest and proudest when talking about or spending time with her family.
Juanita was preceded in death by her husband Wayne and her parents.
She is survived by four children: Susan Dunegan and husband Ed, Santa Cruz, California; Mike Brooks and companion Katie Chaney, Sharmon Richardson and husband Rick, and Mark Brooks and wife Sharon all of Council Grove; ten grandchildren: Jim Dunegan and wife Jackie, Fresno, California; Mickey Dunegan, Santa Cruz, California, Troy Richardson, Lawrence, KS, Anthony Dunegan, Portland, Oregon; Tim Dunegan, Santa Cruz, California, Travis Richardson, Council Grove; Tansy Hayward and husband Chris, Tacoma, Washington; Jeremy Brooks and wife Terry, Minneapolis, Minnesota,; Amanda Craige and husband Derrick, Council Grove; and Nichole Morris and husband Pat, Wichita, Kansas;eleven great grandchildren: Ryan Dunegan, Nicholas Dunegan, Samuel Dunegan, Madison Hayward, Lily Hayward, Dustin Craige, Zachary Craige, Nicholas Craige, Ethan Craige, Addison Craige, and Kingston Brooks.
She is survived by three sisters: Mabel Voehl and husband Norman, Goleta, California; Mary Lou Galloway and husband Doug, Del City, Oklahoma; Ellen DeHoff and husband Pete, Council Grove and two brothers Ray Smith, San Jose, California and Joe Vasques and wife Rosemarie, Lompoc, California.
She is also survived by two sisters-in-law Mildred Brooks, Council Grove and Chona Brooks, Albuquerque, New Mexico and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial has been established in her name to the St. Rose Catholic Church Hall Building Fund.
Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at St. Rose Catholic Church with inurnment to follow in the Calvary Cemetery. A rosary will be recited at 700 p.m. tonight at the Penwell-Gabel Flint Hills Chapel with visitation to follow.
www.penwellgabelcouncilgrove.com
Juanita Brooks was born October 22, 1924 in San Juan, Jalisco, Mexico and died November 20, 2008 at the Morris County Hospital in Council Grove, KS at the age of 84.
She was born to Juan and Severina Vasques and came to the United States at the age of two months when her family moved to Dwight, KS where her father worked for the Rock Island Railroad. The family later moved to White City. Juanita graduated from 8th grade at White City.
As a young woman Juanita and her sisters were well known on the dance scene in the White City-Dwight area for their great abilities on the dance floor. In fact, it was at a dance where she met her husband Wayne.
Juanita and Wayne maintained their Park Avenue home in Council Grove for over 40 years. There they raised four children, cared for numerous cats, dogs, and even some chickens and took pride in maintaining beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. They enjoyed traveling together. Their travels included camping trips to the Ozarks, donating to many casinos, vacations in the Rockies and spending time at the local reservoir. Juanita and Wayne celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2001.
Juanita worked many jobs in her lifetime. It was not unusual for her to work two jobs at the same time to contribute to the raising of her family. Some of her jobs included helping Wayne run a local café, where she was well known for her homemade pies, managing a laundry mat, and as a cook for 30 years at the local nursing home where she spent the last months of her life. One of her many non-paying jobs included preparing home-cooked meals for the prisoners when her husband was the local sheriff.
After Wayne's death she began volunteering to fill the lonely void she felt. She spent one day a week at the local thrift store and two days a week at the Senior Citizens Center. If not for the accident in June, she would probably still be volunteering.
Juanita was a member of the St. Rose Altar Society and also the Business and Professional Women's Club when it was active.
Juanita loved her family, friends, and faith dearly. She looked forward to her "Pepsi" dates with friends after their day at the thrift store, lived for Wednesdays for her lunch date with Marge and loved coffee time at the Senior Citizens Center. Her Catholic faith which was strongly instilled in her as a child never faltered, nor did her choice of pews at church, even though she did tend to visit with another good friend for awhile before Mass started.
But most important was her family. Juanita loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. From the early years of family vacations to the most recent years of Vasques family reunions with her siblings and nieces and nephews. She was always the happiest and proudest when talking about or spending time with her family.
Juanita was preceded in death by her husband Wayne and her parents.
She is survived by four children: Susan Dunegan and husband Ed, Santa Cruz, California; Mike Brooks and companion Katie Chaney, Sharmon Richardson and husband Rick, and Mark Brooks and wife Sharon all of Council Grove; ten grandchildren: Jim Dunegan and wife Jackie, Fresno, California; Mickey Dunegan, Santa Cruz, California, Troy Richardson, Lawrence, KS, Anthony Dunegan, Portland, Oregon; Tim Dunegan, Santa Cruz, California, Travis Richardson, Council Grove; Tansy Hayward and husband Chris, Tacoma, Washington; Jeremy Brooks and wife Terry, Minneapolis, Minnesota,; Amanda Craige and husband Derrick, Council Grove; and Nichole Morris and husband Pat, Wichita, Kansas;eleven great grandchildren: Ryan Dunegan, Nicholas Dunegan, Samuel Dunegan, Madison Hayward, Lily Hayward, Dustin Craige, Zachary Craige, Nicholas Craige, Ethan Craige, Addison Craige, and Kingston Brooks.
She is survived by three sisters: Mabel Voehl and husband Norman, Goleta, California; Mary Lou Galloway and husband Doug, Del City, Oklahoma; Ellen DeHoff and husband Pete, Council Grove and two brothers Ray Smith, San Jose, California and Joe Vasques and wife Rosemarie, Lompoc, California.
She is also survived by two sisters-in-law Mildred Brooks, Council Grove and Chona Brooks, Albuquerque, New Mexico and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial has been established in her name to the St. Rose Catholic Church Hall Building Fund.
Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at St. Rose Catholic Church with inurnment to follow in the Calvary Cemetery. A rosary will be recited at 700 p.m. tonight at the Penwell-Gabel Flint Hills Chapel with visitation to follow.
www.penwellgabelcouncilgrove.com
She was born to Juan and Severina Vasques and came to the United States at the age of two months when her family moved to Dwight, KS where her father worked for the Rock Island Railroad. The family later moved to White City. Juanita graduated from 8th grade at White City.
As a young woman Juanita and her sisters were well known on the dance scene in the White City-Dwight area for their great abilities on the dance floor. In fact, it was at a dance where she met her husband Wayne.
Juanita and Wayne maintained their Park Avenue home in Council Grove for over 40 years. There they raised four children, cared for numerous cats, dogs, and even some chickens and took pride in maintaining beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. They enjoyed traveling together. Their travels included camping trips to the Ozarks, donating to many casinos, vacations in the Rockies and spending time at the local reservoir. Juanita and Wayne celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2001.
Juanita worked many jobs in her lifetime. It was not unusual for her to work two jobs at the same time to contribute to the raising of her family. Some of her jobs included helping Wayne run a local café, where she was well known for her homemade pies, managing a laundry mat, and as a cook for 30 years at the local nursing home where she spent the last months of her life. One of her many non-paying jobs included preparing home-cooked meals for the prisoners when her husband was the local sheriff.
After Wayne's death she began volunteering to fill the lonely void she felt. She spent one day a week at the local thrift store and two days a week at the Senior Citizens Center. If not for the accident in June, she would probably still be volunteering.
Juanita was a member of the St. Rose Altar Society and also the Business and Professional Women's Club when it was active.
Juanita loved her family, friends, and faith dearly. She looked forward to her "Pepsi" dates with friends after their day at the thrift store, lived for Wednesdays for her lunch date with Marge and loved coffee time at the Senior Citizens Center. Her Catholic faith which was strongly instilled in her as a child never faltered, nor did her choice of pews at church, even though she did tend to visit with another good friend for awhile before Mass started.
But most important was her family. Juanita loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. From the early years of family vacations to the most recent years of Vasques family reunions with her siblings and nieces and nephews. She was always the happiest and proudest when talking about or spending time with her family.
Juanita was preceded in death by her husband Wayne and her parents.
She is survived by four children: Susan Dunegan and husband Ed, Santa Cruz, California; Mike Brooks and companion Katie Chaney, Sharmon Richardson and husband Rick, and Mark Brooks and wife Sharon all of Council Grove; ten grandchildren: Jim Dunegan and wife Jackie, Fresno, California; Mickey Dunegan, Santa Cruz, California, Troy Richardson, Lawrence, KS, Anthony Dunegan, Portland, Oregon; Tim Dunegan, Santa Cruz, California, Travis Richardson, Council Grove; Tansy Hayward and husband Chris, Tacoma, Washington; Jeremy Brooks and wife Terry, Minneapolis, Minnesota,; Amanda Craige and husband Derrick, Council Grove; and Nichole Morris and husband Pat, Wichita, Kansas;eleven great grandchildren: Ryan Dunegan, Nicholas Dunegan, Samuel Dunegan, Madison Hayward, Lily Hayward, Dustin Craige, Zachary Craige, Nicholas Craige, Ethan Craige, Addison Craige, and Kingston Brooks.
She is survived by three sisters: Mabel Voehl and husband Norman, Goleta, California; Mary Lou Galloway and husband Doug, Del City, Oklahoma; Ellen DeHoff and husband Pete, Council Grove and two brothers Ray Smith, San Jose, California and Joe Vasques and wife Rosemarie, Lompoc, California.
She is also survived by two sisters-in-law Mildred Brooks, Council Grove and Chona Brooks, Albuquerque, New Mexico and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial has been established in her name to the St. Rose Catholic Church Hall Building Fund.
Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at St. Rose Catholic Church with inurnment to follow in the Calvary Cemetery. A rosary will be recited at 700 p.m. tonight at the Penwell-Gabel Flint Hills Chapel with visitation to follow.
www.penwellgabelcouncilgrove.com
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Married Jan. 31, 1951
Parents of Susan, Michael, Sharmon and Mark
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