Ms. Alma Theresa Brooks Brooks Gaines

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Alma Theresa Brooks Gaines, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

      Alma Theresa was born on June 26, 1920 at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, LA. She was the daughter of Mable Alphonse and Charles Edward Brooks Sr. Raised in New Orleans, LA, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

      As a young girl, Alma Theresa was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, she was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Alma Theresa was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Alma also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. She was raised with two siblings. She had one younger brother, Charles Jr., one older sister, Thelma and one devoted cousin Alberta. Alma Theresa was constantly involved in activities with her family. She and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

      Growing up, Alma Theresa was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Alma was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Alma Theresa was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. In her spare time she liked to read her bible and daily inspirational quotes.

      Most folks would say that Alma Theresa was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. She was reluctant to generalize about people, and based her friendships solely on her personal experiences. Because of this, Alma Theresa best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Alma Theresa kept. While growing up, her best friend was Louise Joseph. Later in life, she became friends with Whitney Joseph, Alice Cousin, Inez Jackson, Thea Moss, Sarah Johnson, and Ethel Ruffins.

      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Alma Theresa. On February 10, 1938 Alma Theresa married Edward Gaines at the home of her Aunt Olivia Darensburg in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was totally committed to Edward and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Alma Theresa naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Alma Theresa disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

      Alma Theresa was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Alma Theresa was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Alma Theresa was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Alma Theresa was blessed with eleven children, Seven sons, Edward, Alfred, Ronald, Melvin, Reginald, Wardell and Barry and four daughters, Doris, Carolyn, Gaynell and Wanda. They were also blessed with twenty grandchildren, Deborah, Robert Jr, Adren, Kenneth, Don, Yolanda, Jerline Jr, Major, Michael, Chanson, Tiffany, Ranaldo, Erica, Kwanza, Reginald, Brandon, Brittney, Monique, Merald and Merrick.

      If you gave Alma Theresa a deadline, she would meet it. At work, she was always on task. Without hesitation, she could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was a homemaker. She had been employed for 30 years by Richard Maloney Cold Storage. During that time, she excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. She was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, she had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems.

      Alma Theresa liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced her choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, she preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to

work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were cooking, reading, gardening and watching her favorite TV game shows. She was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself .

      While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Alma Theresa often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were watching the New Orleans Saints football and San Antiono Spurs basketball.

      Due to her excellent organizational skills, Alma Theresa was a welcome addition to the community organizations to which she belonged. She could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. She was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. Throughout her later years, she was an active member of the Beautifying and Gaines Traveling Clubs.

      An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, her faith was important. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She was a member of Second Free Mission Baptist Church for 70 years. During that time, she was a member of the Beautifying Club and assisted with different Fund raising committees.

      Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Alma Theresa had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included Los Angela's, CA, Las Vegas, NV, Nuevo Laredo, Orlando Florida, Houston and San Antiono Tx.

      Alma Theresa had Blackie, a mixed breed dog, who was her best friend for 10 years. Her family was rounded out by her two birds, Pete the parakeet and Baby. She was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.

       She had taken the time to learn about her various options and chose her course wisely. In retirement, she found new pleasure in her gardening and staying active in church. Even in retirement, Alma Theresa continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.

      Alma Theresa passed away on May 18, 2016 at her home in New Orleans, Louisiana of natural causes. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. Services were held at Second Free Mission Baptist Church. She was laid to rest in Mount Olivet Cemetery and Mausoleum in New Orleans, Louisiana.

      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Alma Theresa was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Alma Theresa was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Alma Theresa Gaines was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Alma Theresa. She will be missed.