Jo Anne White Brooks

She was an extraordinary woman whose entire life was spent in service to others. She was a kind and gentle spirit with no malice; she had great curiosity and creativeness. She was joy and light. She was love. Even with her fading memory, she saw the beauty and wonder in every detail of God’s creation. She left this world in Austin, TX, December 12, 2023, at age 95, to be with her Lord and Savior.

JoAnne was born in St. Augustine, Florida, on November 25, 1928, to parents James Oren White and Fannie Mae McKenzie. She had a younger brother, Jim (James Oren, Jr), who served in the US Air Force. After graduating New Smyrna Senior High School, New Smyrna Beach, FL, in 1945, at the age of sixteen, she went on to earn her Associate Degree in Medical Records at Lees-MacRae College in Banner Elk, NC, in 1947. She then served a year as an Intern at Lees MacRae.

She began her first job in Gastonia, NC, as Medical Records Librarian at Gaston Memorial Hospital. While there she met and married Wiley Truett Brooks in 1950 and began her family. Her children, Lee, David, Diane, and Leslie were all born in Gastonia. Her second position in Medical Records took the family to DeLand, FL, in 1961, where she took on managing Medical Records at West Volusia Memorial Hospital. While there, she also assisted in opening the hospital’s first credit union.

Even with her career, and working full time, as a mother, she was always willing to make herself available to her children to help with school projects or typing reports - all the way through the college years. She was an incredible seamstress, making most of her children’s clothes for many years. It is a mystery as to when she slept.

She went on to serve a forty five year career in Medical Records, the last 24 years of her career as Director, Medical Records, Wake Medical Center, Raleigh, NC. She was innovative and creative in making changes in her field of work to enhance efficiency and accountability. As a result, her department was more advanced than most. She loved to support young people, whether in high school or college, in exploring Medical Records as a career.

In 1992, JoAnne was excited to finally earn her Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from St. Joseph’s College in Standish, Maine, a lifelong goal. Just like her father, she was always curious to learn. She never stopped. On a whim, out of sheer curiosity, she enrolled in several Hebrew courses. She learned her alphabet so well that she created a song to recite the consonants.

Her service to others was varied and full whether living in Florida, North Carolina or Texas: Gastonia Junior Women’s League, Sunday School teacher, Community Bible Study Children’s Leader, Volunteer and officer for Altrusa Club International, Raleigh, NC, Volunteer for Urban Ministries, Raleigh, to include The Open Door Clinic, and The Food Pantry. She found great satisfaction in enriching the lives of others. She was awarded the Who’s Who of American Women in 1991/1992.

She never slowed down after retirement. In addition to her volunteer work, she loved to work on her family genealogy, accumulating 17,000 names to her Ancestry Trees. She created a family newsletter called Clan McKenzie because she had the desire to share her love of family history.

Painting, drawing, coloring and doing anything “out of the box" was a passion. One of her specialties was painting eggshells. She also loved to hand make intricate little Bible verse booklets to give away to students of hers, classmates, friends, and family. She made hundreds of them. It was the way she shared her love of Jesus.

JoAnne loved crafting, sewing, crocheting, knitting, and cross stitch. And she loved to give gifts out of homemade things.

She was an avid reader of great books and always called them her best friends. She loved to write stories of her childhood in Bunnell, FL, especially spending time with her beloved Grandma and Grandpa McKenzie, who for all practical purposes, raised her. She talked about them more than anything else in her life. She also loved to write stories of her beloved dog, Bootsy. She loved dogs, and he was her hero.

She played the piano all her life on her childhood piano, right up to a couple weeks before her 95th birthday. Music was her focus and joy the last few years. She loved many genres, but her favorite was listening to The Eagles! She must have watched the 2004 Eagles Farewell Tour - Live from Melbourne a hundred times. She lit up in pure enjoyment.

She was an extraordinary woman. An inspiration.

JoAnne is survived by four children: Wiley Truett Brooks, Jr (Lee), and wife, Pat, of Ocean Isle Beach, NC; James David Brooks (David), and partner, Phyllis, of Franklinton, NC; Diane Brooks Hogan, and husband, Ray, of Port St Lucie, FL; and Leslie Joan Brooks of Austin, TX. She is survived by three grandchildren: Evan Brooks, and wife, Samantha, of Boynton Beach, FL; Erin Brooks of Ocean Isle Beach, NC; David Brooks, and wife, Heidi, of Yorktown Heights, NY. She is also survived by five great-grandchildren: Joshua Brooks of Boynton Beach, FL; Elijah, Charlotte, Ezra, and Ellis Brooks of Yorktown Heights, NY.

Her burial took place on December 21, 2023, at Raleigh Memorial Park. A private family memorial service is yet to be scheduled.

In her honor, you may wish to give to the Alzheimer’s Association, a children’s book charity like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, or a benevolent charity of your choosing.