Betty Turley Brooks

Betty Turley Brooks died August 25, 2022 at the age of 93 after living a full life of beauty, adventure, loss and resilience. Born in Lubbock, Texas on May 23, 1929, Betty was the only child of her doting parents, Frank and Ida Turley. At an early age she loved to dress up, a love that eventually led her to modeling couture clothes while in college. Being 5’8” with high cheekbones and stunning black hair she credited to her Cherokee Indian heritage, made her a much sought after model. However, Betty’s career was short lived when she was swept off her feet by the dashing oil pioneer Aubrey James Brooks, Jr.(Jim). After Betty and Jim married, they moved to New Orleans in 1954 and welcomed two children, Aubrey James Brooks, III (Jimmie) and Pamala Jeanne Brooks. The family lovingly restored a home on First Street that became a hive for entertaining, music concerts and parties.

It was in her early years in New Orleans, when Betty became a passionate devotee to opera. She found the spectacle of the music, drama and vocal technique to be mesmerizing. Betty and Jim became involved with the New Orleans Opera Association on every level. Betty was one of the founding members of The New Orleans Opera Women’s Guild. It was there that she met some of her closest friends. Betty tirelessly gave her time, treasure and love to the preservation of The Women’s Opera Guild Home by underwriting its’ interior decorative renovation. Always a perfectionist, Betty insisted her good friend and interior designer Joe Morrow spare no expense in making it the grandest space in the Garden District for visitors, guests and the public.

Betty and Jim led a glamorous life in that they traveled and enjoyed Opera all over the globe together. However, tragedy struck in 1988 when her beloved husband died of cancer just weeks after being diagnosed. Months later, her son, Jimmie, was killed in a car accident. It was during this time Betty leaned on her friends and became a member of the Catholic Church.

Betty found love again in James Doss, to whom she was married for 20 years. They shared homes in New Orleans, Bradenton, FL and Highlands, NC. She continued to share opera wherever she went including contributing to the annual Bel Canto Festival in Highlands, NC where she would bring together top performers to the delight of sold out audiences.

Betty’s generosity didn’t just stop with the opera, she was also on the Board of Directors of The New Orleans Ballet Association, Volunteers of America and Ringling Museum in Sarasota, FL. She felt New Orleans was her home and tried to improve her community by giving it access to the arts. She underwrote many operas, supported opera singers and brought Placido Domingo to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2006 and again for New Year’s Eve at the Morial Convention Center in 2008.

Betty lost her second husband, James Doss in 2016. Two years later her daughter, Jeanne, died. And yet, Betty just kept going with style, tenacity and grace. She called the shots until the very day she died in the arms of her loving and devoted friend and housekeeper of 50 years, Audrey Ardoin. She is survived by her two granddaughters, Alexis Desselle and Laurie Lynn Bordelon and the many, many friends who adored and loved her.

Betty was a member of The New Orleans Country Club, The Orleans Club, The Metropolitan Club in New York, Highlands Country Club and Bradenton Country Club.

A celebration of her life will be held at The New Orleans Opera Women’s Guild Home, 2504 Prytania Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 1:00p.m. Interment will be private.

To view and sign the Guestbook, please visit online at www.lakelawnmetairie.com