Joan Gail Brooks

Joan Gail Brooks of Richmond, Va., died on Friday, September 30, 2022. Mrs. Brooks was born June 19, 1951, in St. Louis, Mo. She was the daughter of the late William Baker and Ruth Roth Baker, and sister of the late Sharon Lois Baker Capps. Surviving are her husband, Richard James Brooks, of Richmond, Va.; her two sons, Richard William Brooks and Russell Baker Brooks, of Richmond, Va.; and her daughter, Rebekah Joan Roth Brooks and her husband, Evan Neumann, of Richmond, Va; one grandchild; two nieces, and numerous cousins and friends. Mrs. Brooks was a graduate of Berkeley Senior High School in a suburb of St. Louis, Mo. and graduated from Missouri Baptist College in Creve Coeur, Mo. She taught pre-K at Lucky Lane Nursery while she attended MBC and for several years after that. With her husband, a Colonel in the Air Force, she lived all around the U.S., from Texas to New York to Georgia, and traveled throughout Europe and the U.S. with her family. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks had just celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary in August. Education was always a passion for Mrs. Brooks. As a certified teacher (K-8), she deeply enjoyed teaching and finding ways to make learning fun. Her love of learning was passed on to her children, and while Mrs. Brooks nearly completed her Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling, she was always proud that all of her children had completed their graduate level education. A musician herself (piano, voice, viola, guitar, and ukulele), Mrs. Brooks taught music at various schools throughout her career, and shared her love of the piano with her children. She will always be remembered for filling her home with music, either playing recordings of classical, jazz, and modern artists, or improvising songs on the piano. Mrs. Brooks was a loving and devoted wife and mother. She is fondly remembered for bringing the family together for board games, baking, laughing, and singing. Her sense of humor and gift of storytelling were sources of great joy for the entire family, and those memories will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. A viewing will be held at Woody Funeral Home (Parham Rd) on Monday, October 10 from 5 - 8 p.m. Her life will be celebrated in a service at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at Third Church, 600 Forest Ave., Henrico, Va. by Pastor Corey Widmer. The family will receive friends following the service. Rather than flowers, well wishers are requested to make a contribution to the Billy Graham Evangelical Association (https://billygraham.org/checkout/give-honor-memorial.php; gift made in memory of Joan Brooks, with notification sent to Richard Brooks at P.O. Box 70551, Richmond, VA 23255).