Laverne H. E. Brooks
Laverne H. E. Brooks
On the morning of July 12, 2022, God called the name of Laverne Helen Edna Wallrath Brooks, and she answered, “present.” Because she walked by faith, rather than sight, she is now extremely pleased to be absent from the body and is now “present” with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:7-8) Her joy is increased as she is reunited with her beloved husband William, her only sibling and best friend, brother Ferdinand Wallrath, and so many other loved ones, as she had outlived them all.
Her children, Gail (Darryl) Heimsoth, Billie Brooks, Carl (Linda) Brooks, and Louise (Bryan) Reiter, were sad to see her leave, but glad she got to go.
Her life began as the daughter of Alphonse and Emma Wallrath in St. Louis, Missouri. As a child, the family moved to a farm in Mascoutah, Illinois. She was forced to quit high school and go to work at the local hat factory in order to help the family through hard times. In the autumn of 1952, she married William Brooks, also of Mascoutah, and helped him through hard times and good times for the next 62 years.
During her assigned time of 93 years on earth, she was a caring, loving, nurturing daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She attended the sick room of her parents and her husband’s parents until each one drew their final breath. She stitched together enough garments for family and friends to fill the entire “house of Dior,” including dresses for Barbie dolls, outfits for school children, evening gowns, and wedding dresses. She cooked enough meals to feed the 8th army, and each one was lovingly and skillfully prepared. Her diligently attended, bountiful garden kept her family and most of the neighbors fed. She knew how to disc a field, pull a calf, dress a chicken, and maintain peace and order among squabbling children. She was the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman.
She and William moved to Missouri in 1987, where she resided for the last thirty-five years of her life. In 2019, she moved to the Springfield area, next door to her youngest daughter. She looked forward each morning to coffee and witty repartee with her “boyfriend” son-in-law, Bryan. As each nurse or hospice worker came through her door, they always left smiling because of her humorous/witty one-liners. Her devoted hospice nurse, Donna, made sure that her last visit of the day was with Laverne so that they could read scripture together and leave with a joke that put a smile on Donna’s lips as she headed home.
At the very end of her journey, she was blessed with three “angels” provided by God. Bert Riley, Dawn Hodge, and Jean Kilburn were helping her along the way, with compassion and love, until she took her final step into heaven.
Even without the formal education she desired, but was not able to pursue, she had a positive effect on every life she touched. Her years as a Sunday school teacher and “cleaner of the church” were done joyfully. She recounted the adventures of David and Goliath, Noah and his ark, and the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus to very small children. She scrubbed church floors on her knees, humbly serving others and taking no credit for the many things she accomplished. She gave all glory to God and has now received her final “degree” from Him.
There will be a small gathering/ceremony acknowledging her life and her victory over death through Christ on Saturday, July 16, 2022, at the Fox Funeral Home in Cole Camp, Missouri, at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Larry Griswold officiating. Anyone wishing to say “goodbye for now” is welcome to stop in.
The family will be escorting her to join William at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri. Grandchildren, Joshua and Dustin Heimsoth, Taylor Bennett, Sydney Leftridge, Nick and Nicole Brooks, Lauren Copeland, and Wenten Reiter will be the official escorts to her final resting place where she awaits the “last trump.” After that trumpet sounds, there will be no more “resting,” only celebrating.
Arrangements by Fox Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at www.foxfuneralhomecolecampmo.com.
