Sammie Lee Brooks

March 14, 1937 - August 30, 2025

Sammie Lee Brooks, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, after succumbing to an over ten-year struggle with Alzheimer's disease. She was the beloved daughter of Isabel and Jack Spencer. Sammie was born, raised, and educated in Tallahassee, FL, and gave her life to the Lord at a very young age. She and her family served as faithful members of Philadelphia Primitive Baptist Church in Tallahassee, FL. Sammie relocated to Jacksonville, FL, as a young adult to start her family and her new life. But make no mistake, she was a true Southern Belle, known for her passion for life and old-school work ethic. She would do anything for her family, including making tomato soup from ketchup packets for lunch while working two jobs to send her children to private schools.

Sammie was a God-fearing mother who instilled the love of God in her children not just by what she said, but by how she conducted herself every day. Her unwavering faith and dedication to her family were evident in everything she did. She was a pillar of strength and a source of endless love and support. Her children and grandchildren will always remember her warm hugs, her comforting words, and her ability to make everyone feel special and loved. Thankfully, they will also remember her rod of correction.

Sammie had a remarkable ability to find joy in the simple things in life. She enjoyed cooking, singing, dancing and was known for her delicious homemade meals that brought the family together. Her laughter was infectious, and she had a way of making everyone around her feel at ease.

Our mother was one of the few people in the world who never uttered a profane word. She actually said to us as children, "You can use any word that you hear me use," and even in her dementia and Alzheimer’s state, the nurses and doctors commented on how rare it was that, of all their patients, she never used a single profane word. She was indeed a very special lady.

At the time of her passing Sammie was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church. Our mother loved serving in the church in every aspect. She served faithfully until her health made it impossible.

Sammie Lee Brooks lived her life by the lesson of her favorite scripture, Philippians 4:12-13 ”I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband Enoch Brooks, her daughter Angela Witherspoon, and her granddaughters Mackenzie Jackson and Kelli Chapple.

Sammie leaves behind a legacy of love and devotion. She is survived by her children, Judith Chapple, Pamela Brooks, and Edward Brooks; her grandchildren, Joshua Jackson, Ian Crews Sr., and Erin Crews; and her great-grandchildren, Mikayla Clarke, Lamareya Robinson, Ian Crews Jr., and Faith Brooks. She is also mourned by her sisters Alpha Terry, Mary Spencer, and Corine Raybon, her brothers Edward and James Spencer, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Sammie Lee Brooks will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Her memory will live on in the hearts of her family and friends forever. She will be remembered for her kindness, her generosity, and her unwavering love for her family. Her legacy will continue to inspire and guide her loved ones for generations to come.

Family and friends will gather for a small graveside visitation and homegoing ceremony, on September 13, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Edgewood Cemetery, located at 4519 Edgewood Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32219. She will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband and sweetheart, Enoch Brooks. For more information, please contact the family or Hardage-Giddens Greenlawn Funeral Home and Cemetery, located at 4300 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207.