Ruby M. Brooks was born on February 17, 1921 in Hornersville, MO, and died at her home at Springmoor Retirement Community in Raleigh, NC on December 28, 2018. Ruby’s life can be summarized in three words: love, service and faith. She loved and was loved and treasured by many people around the world. She served by giving her very best. Her life was undergirded by an unwavering faith in God, and in the Savior she proclaimed and loved, Jesus Christ.
Miss Brooks received her training as a nurse at Washington University School of Nursing in St. Louis, MO. She worked in Lubbock, TX with Dr. Jim Hall. After the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, she answered the call to service by enlisting in the Navy. She was sent to Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois for orientation and training. Subsequently she served as Commander Brooks in the Navy Nurse Corps at Camp McIntire, San Diego until the end of World War II at which time she returned home to Missouri. She was called back to duty during the Korean War and was sent to Naval Hospital Corpus Christi, TX. Fourteen months later she accepted an assignment to Yokosuka, Japan, as Charge Nurse on the neurosurgical ward, ensuring patient care was given at its highest quality. Commander Brooks later described this assignment as the most rewarding in her nursing career.
Commander Brooks served during the Vietnam War aboard the USS Haven, and later in Newport, RI, St. Albans, NY and Bethesda, MD until retiring from the Navy in 1974.
Upon moving to Raleigh she worked at Wake Memorial Hospital for several years.
Ruby moved to the new Springmoor Retirement Community in April 1985 and joined Trinity Baptist Church around the same time. She contributed much and found much joy in service and friendships in both places.
Ruby is survived by more people than can be named. Though her family has grown small, she has a large family of faith and friendships. Her cousins Gary Arthur, Mary Lee Schell and niece Patricia Brooks, all of Missouri, cherish their family ties with Ruby. Her dear friends Joan Phillips, Victor and Charlotte Cole (three church friends who were loving, caring, devoted visitors), Doug Boggie (POA), the LeBlanc family (Virginia Beach, VA, family of Navy nurse friend Maxine, who shared many holidays with Ruby), Masti Neshat (her hairdresser who over 30 years became a treasured companion and like a daughter, HealthCarePOA), Gordon Letterman (godson), Mary Ann and Nelson Kicks (Navy nurse), Rev. Frank White (who served as minister to her many years) and many other unnamed and devoted friends are grateful for the blessings of Ruby in their lives.
At Ruby’s request, there will be two memorial services. There will be a Visitation at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 4 at Trinity Baptist Church, 4815 Six Forks Rd., Raleigh, followed by a Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m. A second Memorial Service will be held in the Auditorium at Springmoor Retirement Community, 1500 Sawmill Road, Raleigh on the same day, Friday, Jan. 4, at 3:00 p.m. The ashes of Commander Brooks, RN, USN, will be interred in the Columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorial Gifts may be made to Trinity Baptist Church, or to the Springmoor Endowment Fund, or to the Navy Nurse Corps Association, PO Box 3289, Newport, Rhode Island 02840.
At the end of her brief memoir Ruby wrote “My most inspiring devotion for each day is as follows: ‘My days are in my Father’s Hand, How can I wish or ask for more? For He Who my pathway planned, will guide me till my journey’s o’er.’”
