Geanie Lee Ward Brooks

BROOKS, GEANIE LEE WARD, departed this life on June 4, 2023 at the age of 94. Geanie was born on December 11, 1928 in Holmes County, Florida. She was raised in Brooksville and was a third-generation Floridian. Geanie had a very full life and made an impression on everyone she met. During World War II, as a teenager, she worked in Tampa at the McCloskey Shipyard as a welder. From 1955-1957 she performed in the underwater show at Weeki Wachee Springs as a mermaid. Later she worked for a land-clearing business where she drove bulldozers, D-5s and D-7s. She drove a low-bed, hauling bulldozers and draglines from place to place or for repairs from New Port Richey to Tampa. During this time, she also drove a dump truck. If it had wheels or tracks, she always wanted to know how to operate it.

While living in New Port Richey, she and a few other ladies formed a women’s softball team, which went to the state softball tournaments twice and came in second both times. Later, while living in Virginia, she worked as a bookkeeper in the accounting department at Arlington Mortgage Company where she oversaw 123 houses and in its Rental Department where she oversaw 13 apartment projects. She earned her real estate sales license in Florida and Maryland and worked in sales in those jurisdictions. Her last adventure was ministering to women prisoners in Brooksville.

Geanie was predeceased by her father and mother, Noah and Anna Ward; her daughter, Rebecca Brooks Walker and her son, Hardy Randall Brooks; two sisters, Alice Ward Brownell and Lavada Ward Ance; her brothers,Charles Ward, Alcus Ward, her twin brother, Johnie Ward, and her youngest brother, Billy Ward.

Geanie is survived by her son, James Vernon Brooks Jr and his wife, Diann; her daughter, Shirley Brooks Herge and her husband, J. Curtis Herge, all of Brooksville; eight grandchildren: Lucia LaBonte Owens, of Powell, Tennessee, Sharon Elizabeth LaBonte of Tega Cay, South Carolina, Alethea Brooks Sauto of Brooksville, Angel Brooks Theodore of Brooksville, Brian M. Brooks of Oldsmar, Florida, Robert D. Brooks of Homosassa, Florida, Tiffany Brooks Hoblit of Brooksville, and Austin T. Brooks of Brooksville; eleven great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, June 11 at Merritt Funeral Home, 2 S. Lemon Ave. Brooksville FL. 34601 from 4-6PM. Funeral services will be Monday, June 12 at Merritt Funeral Home starting at 10AM with interment to follow at Brooksville Cemetery 1275 Olmes Rd. Brooksville, FL 34601.