Maryann (nee: Jones) Brooks, age 88, recently of Kenosha, WI passed away on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 surrounded by her loving family, after a long fight with chronic illness.

Maryann was born on July 24, 1928 in Dayton, OH to the late Clem P. and Anna M. (Augustine) Jones.

She was educated in the Pasadena, OH school system and graduated from Fairmont High School in 1945. Additionally, at the age of 16, she was accepted into the Conservatory of Music to study voice.

She was united in marriage to Robert T. Border in 1949, and then to James W. Brooks in 1977 and preceded in death by both men, and her daughter, Carol E. Zahn.

She was employed in several occupations throughout her life, but worked primarily in the wedding industry and as a caterer and cake decorator in the Dayton/Kettering areas of Ohio and Lancaster/Stanford areas of Kentucky. She enjoyed knitting and crocheting and gifted her grandchildren with afghans she had handmade over the last few years. She worked tirelessly for her churches; Fellowship Pentecostal Church in Lancaster, KY and then Mount Moriah Christian Church in Stanford, KY.

She volunteered in the Stanford, Kentucky elementary school reading to the students for many years.

She moved from Ohio in 1978 to Lancaster, KY and then to Stanford, KY in the mid 1990’s until her illness.

She is survived by her son, Paul (Janet “Dee”) Border, of Kenosha, WI; stepson, James (Robin) Brooks of Harrodsburg, KY.; Nephews, David Bockoven, Brian (Marianne) Bockoven;  niece, Lisa Bockoven, all of Dayton, OH.; Six grandchildren, Alexa Border of Los Angeles, CA, Marie Zahn of Louisville, KY, 1^st LT Angela Elliott, Evan Zahn, Armand (Kenzie Gonzalez) Border, and Avalon Border all of Kenosha, WI, Amber and Dustin, both of Harrodsburg, KY, and several great-grandchildren; great nieces, Miranda Bockoven Vearil of Middletown, OH and Sarah (Shane) Bockoven Adams; and a great-great niece and nephew, Cassie and Ben of Lebanon, OH.

Service Info

A Memorial Service honoring Maryann will be held on Wednesday, December 14, 2016 at 3:30 p.m. at Immanuel Church, 6009 Pershing Blvd., Kenosha, WI. Interment will take place in the Fellowship Pentecostal Church Cemetery in Lancaster, KY, in the spring.