Virgie Lee Brooks

Virgie Lee Brooks was born on October 30, 1928, to Frank and Shirley Brye in Evergreen Alabama, where she lived until she left home at the early age of 18. In 1947, she moved to Pensacola, Florida where she met and married Henry Royster Sr in 1950. Out of that union came Henry Royster Jr., Alfonso Royster and Willie Frank Royster. Sister Brooks, as she was so lovingly known in the house of God, Church of Christ, had a long list of brothers and sisters beginning with her brother:

Wilson Brye, Sister Bertha Brye, Brother Frank Brye, Sister Lois Brye, Sister Irene Brye, Brother Gradie Brye, Sister Ernestine Brye, Sister Agnes Bri, and Sister Nell V Brye, all of Pensacola, Florida cousins and Barbara Lockridge of Las Vegas and Hazel Nelley in San Diego.

In 1950, Sister Brooks divorced and left her unfaithful husband Henry Royster Sr and moved to California in search of a better life for her and her three children. She found employment at the California laundry. She worked there for several years, raising her three boys and she met and married Albert Allen. Out of that union, she had one child in 1962 named Brenda Lee Allen. Sister Brooks was a very loving and caring mother. She was strong, a disciplinarian and she had a strong hand/hold of her boys. She taught them to be men, without having a good example of men in their upbringing. Sister Brooks once again had to leave her husband, Albert Allen, because of his abusive and unfaithful ways.

She then met and married, Mr. Nelson Brooks, who turned out to be a real man in her life and a father to her children. He was a gentle and loving soul, well loved and admired and respected by all her children, whom to this day they call “Dad”. They remained married until Nelson Brooks passed in September of 2005. Sister Brooks devoted her life to serving God. She managed to bring each and every one of her adult children to Christ by how she lived in loved. Several of her great-grandchildren as well as have accepted and have been baptized into the Church of Christ.

Throughout all her trials and tribulations, Sister Virgie Brooks never looked back. She always looked ahead. She kept her trust and faith in the Lord and HE protected her all these years until He, the Lord called her home on September 4, 2021. She is survived by her younger sister Agnes Brye, her children Henry Royster, wife Karen Royster, Alphonso Royster, Willie Royster, wife Lillie Lee Royster, Brenda Lee Allen, CJ Crain and her adopted great grandson Damascus Ferguson Brooks. Her grandchildren Maegan Ashley Allen, Sheena Mercedes Allen, Michael Anthony Allen, Summer Lee Allen, Chenequia Ta’nia Royster, Lamar Stell, Ticci Renee Royster, Ramon Henry Royster, and 18 great-grandchildren of whom will miss her dearly!

The family would like to wholeheartedly thank each and everyone of you for your support, your thoughts and your prayers for our family. We know many of you were very near and dear to our mother and share in our grief. We have so much extended family throughout San Diego California and beyond, where strong ties still avail, until this day. We don’t want to leave you out but you know who you are and you know we love you and thank God for you. In loving memory of Virgie Brooks, we miss you we leave you with this:

POEM

When I’m gone release me, let me go. I have so many things to see and do. You mustn’t tie yourself to me with tears. Be happy that we had so many beautiful years. I gave to You my love, you can only guess how much you gave to me in happiness. I thank you for the love you each have shown, but now it’s time I travel on alone. So grieve a while for me if grieve you must, then let your grief be comforted by trust, it’s only for a while that we must part, so bless the memories within your heart. I won’t be far away for life goes on. So, if you need me, call and I will come. Though you can’t see or touch me, I’ll be near, and if you listen with your heart, you’ll hear all of my love around you soft and clear. And then, when you must come this way alone, I greet you with a smile and say welcome home…