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© Cooper Funeral Home - Tecumseh
Submitted by: Jo Aguirre
Mary Odessa (Tucker) Brooks, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend passed away at home on October 27th, 2019 at the age of 92. She was born on May 13, 1927 in Tecumseh, Oklahoma to John and Irene (Brock) Tucker. Mary was raised in Tecumseh with her three sisters and attended Tecumseh Public Schools. She graduated in 1945 from Tecumseh High School. During high school, Mary met the love of her life, Jimmie Brooks. They would walk to school together and he would carry her books. Jimmie knew what a special person she was and insisted on marrying her before he was called to serve in World War II. On June 16, 1945 they were married in Woodward, Oklahoma. When Jimmie returned, the couple moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma for Jimmie to attend Tulsa University. Mary then worked for Polk City Directories. After graduation, they moved to Houston, Texas where he worked for Gulf Oil. There Mary and Jimmie welcomed their daughter, Edie. In 1956, they moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma where Jimmie started Brooks Construction with his father, Winfrey. Jimmie and Mary were married 69 years before he passed away in 2015.
Mary was very talented and was an amazing wife and mother. Mary enjoyed being with her family. She loved living very close to her daughter and son-in-law, Edie and Gary, and her grandchildren. Mary attended all her grandchildren, Meredith and Garrett’s, activities and was always there to cheer for them. She loved to travel together as a family, frequenting New Mexico. Mary was very close to her three sisters and their families and always enjoyed their time spent together. When the great grandchildren, Brooklynn and Holten, were born she was so happy and loved being with them. They in turn loved to visit, “Mom Mom Mary.” She loved cooking and baking. She prepared wonderful meals for her family and friends and always had a homemade dessert on hand to share with whomever stopped by for a visit. When she made her candy cane cookies and other Christmas goodies, everyone knew the holiday season had truly begun. Mary loved to paint and she created beautiful oil paintings of the western landscape that she and Jimmie so dearly loved. Jimmie and Mary enjoyed many hours together playing golf and she was an officer for many years in the Shawnee Country Club ladies golf association. She was also an exceptional seamstress and spent many hours sewing Edie’s wedding dress and other creations. Mary crocheted many afghan blankets and cross-stitch pieces over the years and created beautiful holiday decorations for their home. Mary also loved to swing dance. She and Jimmie could be found every Thursday and Saturday night at the American Legion in Tecumseh dancing to the western band.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jimmie Brooks on February 17, 2015; her parents John and Irene Tucker; 2 infant sons, Jimmie Leon Brooks and Baby Boy Brooks; and 2 sisters, Claudine Davis and Janie Marrs.
Those left to cherish her memory are her daughter and son-in-law, Edie and Gary Akin of Shawnee; granddaughter and spouse, Meredith (Akin) and Jason Tyler of Norman; grandson, Garrett and Meghan Akin of Shawnee; sister and brother-in-law, Sharon Kay and Jim Myers of Tulsa, OK; 2 great-grandchildren, Brooklynn Marie Tyler and Holten Gray Tyler; and many loving friends and extended family.
Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday, November 1, 2019 and continue through service time. Family gathering to greet friends and family will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Cooper Funeral Home. Service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 2, 2019 at Cooper Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Glen Pence, Pastor Ray Belford, and Pastor Bill Shields officiating. Burial will follow at Tecumseh Cemetery under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home of Tecumseh.