Willie Mae Brooks

Willie Mae “Billie” Brooks, 81, of Austin passed from this life on March 24, 2015. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, and friend. Mrs. Brooks never met a stranger. She had a joyful spirit and was a strong Christian influence on her family and friends. Billie Brooks was born in Mason, Texas on April 19, 1933 to August and Inez Starks. She married Aubrey Franklin Brooks on May 15, 1954. She was preceded in death by her son, Billy Wayne Brooks, in 1956, and her husband who passed in February 1977, leaving Mrs. Brooks with five daughters. Mrs. Brooks is survived by her “five Bs” - Bobbie Brooks Freitag of Georgetown, Brenda Brooks Albright and her husband Jerry Gordon Albright of Georgetown, Barbara Brooks Guy and her husband Fred Guy of Joplin, Missouri, Beverly Brooks Gordon of Temple, and Betty Brooks and fiancé Mark Raymond of Elgin, 2 sisters; Jeanine Ketchum of Lake Buchanan and Shirley Ross of Comfort and one brother, Ray Starks of Kerrville. Mrs. Brooks and her husband were very proud of their five daughters and they were actively involved in their children’s school, community, and church activities. They also supported the First Baptist Church youth ministry and mission trips to Mexico and Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Mrs. Brooks and her family moved to Lampasas in 1967. She was the assistant Tax Assessor-Collector for Lampasas County for a time before becoming the church secretary for First Baptist Church in Lampasas. Shortly after the death of her husband, Mrs. Brooks moved to Kerrville and began a career in human resources with the JC Penney Company. She retired as the personnel supervisor for the JC Penney store at Highland Mall in Austin, Texas in 2000. Mrs. Brooks, affectionately known as Grannie, is also survived by many grandchildren – Brent Brooks Albright of Gause, Kelcey Albright Lambert and her husband Steven Lambert of Georgetown, Tiffany Freitag Vogelman and her husband Chris Vogelman of Hutto, Forest Freitag, III and his wife Stephanie Freitag of Leander, Ashlee Gordon of Corpus Christi, Alexis Gordon of Georgetown, Sydney Guy of Joplin, Missouri and Brittany Guy of Joplin, Missouri. Mrs. Brooks is also survived by four great-grandchildren – Ava Freitag and Nash Freitag of Leander and Landry Vogelman and Aubree Vogelman of Hutto. Grannie will be dearly missed by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Burial for Mrs. Brooks will be at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Lampasas, Texas on March 28, 2015, in a private graveside service. Grandsons and Mark Raymond of Elgin, Texas will serve as pallbearers. Sneed Funeral Chapel will coordinate the funeral and Larry Strong of Arlington, Texas will officiate the service. Memorials may be made to Center for Child Protection 8509 FM 969 Bldg 2 Austin, TX 78724 or at www.centerforchildprotection.org