Mary Ellen Brooks

Mary Ellen Brooks, 92, of Annapolis died on February 5, 2016. She was born November 12, 1923 in Oxnard, California to Virginia (Schaul) Hayward and Max Everett Hayward. She was married to Captain Daniel P. Brooks USN for twenty-two years. They had three children, Virginia, John, and Margaret, and a foster son, Charles Washington. As a Navy wife Mary Ellen enjoyed duty stations in Hawaii, California, Virginia, Connecticut, Guam, and Maryland. She loved to travel. Beyond her Navy days she continued to travel the globe, owned a vacation apartment in Spain, and until the age of 92 spent every winter in California. Mary Ellen worked as a real estate agent for Herbert Hawkins in Pasadena, California and for Charles H. Steffey and Shannon and Luchs in Annapolis. She was active as a volunteer, working with injured Vietnam troops in Guam, and with the Baltimore-based Martin Pollack Project, helping provide education and relief to children in need. She was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Eastport for over forty years, where she helped with the thrift store, the food bank, and multiple other ministries to the community. Mary Ellen was also an avid gardener and a member of the Hillsmere Garden Club. Surviving her are daughters Virginia Brooks of Idaho, and Margaret Hontos and son-in-law John Hontos of California, daughter-in-law Hisayo Washington, many loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. A funeral service will be held at 3 pm on Saturday, February 20 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 1101 Bay Ridge Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland 21403. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to growannapolis.org.