Vera Brooks

Vera Nell (Jinkens) Brooks was born in Noodle, Texas, on October 28, 1937, to Claude Benjamin, a cotton ginner, and Era Clotille, a homemaker.
At the time of her birth, her brother Melvin was 18 years old, and her sister Beryl was 9 years old. Other than a brief stint in Dyersburg, Tennessee, Vera spent her whole life in Texas. Her family lived in Raymondville where she met and fell in love with a blue-eyed boy named Jack Brooks when she was 14 years old. After graduating from Raymondville High School in 1956, she attended Draughon's School of Business in San Antonio and Abilene. She and Jack were married on March 31, 1957. They spent their honeymoon at the Frio River where they would later return many times with their children, grandchildren, and countless friends. Jack and Vera lived in Corpus Christi, Refugio, and Wharton before moving to Sweeny. Vera worked as a bank bookkeeper in each of these cities while Jack worked for HEB. Jack and Vera had three children: Sammy, Brian, and Vicki. Jack and Vera bought a grocery store and moved to Sweeny in 1969, and Vera became the head bookkeeper and office manager at Brooks Grocery. Eight years later they sold the grocery store to Vernon Stewart, and Vera continued to work in the office. Always up for a new adventure, Vera changed careers in her mid-forties and went to work for one of her best friends at Wells Florist and Gift Shop. There she learned to design floral arrangements and make her famous gift bows. In 1999, Vera retired and became a full-time Grandma. Vera loved to travel, play bridge (and lots of other games), spend time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, cook and collect recipes, attend church activities, sing, listen to gospel music, celebrate birthdays with the Good-to-Go Girls,... the list could go on and on. She loved life, and she loved people.
Vera was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Brooks, parents, Claude and Era Jinkens, brother, Melvin Jinkens, and sister, Beryl Fuller. She is survived by three children: Sammy Brooks and his wife Sharon, Brian Brooks and his wife Paula, and Vicki Johnston and her husband Dan; six grandchildren: Jennifer Brooks, Amanda Clayton and Charles, Bill Brooks and Emily, Julie McPhail and Michael, Priscilla Wadley and Josh, Lori Beth Brooks; and eight great-grandchildren: Blake Brooks, Samuel and Anna McPhail, Elizabeth Clayton, Jack & Clay Brooks, and Franklin and Ruthie Wadley. Her extended family, countless friends, the Good-To-Go-Girls, bridge club, Sunday-afternoon-card club, and the Raymondville Class of 1956 were special in her life.
The family will receive visitors on Wednesday, June 13 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Baker Funeral Home in West Columbia. A burial service will be held on Thursday, June 14 at 10:00 am at Sweeny Cemetery, followed by a Celebration of Life at 11:00 am at Sweeny Church of Christ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sweeny Christian School, 904 Texas Ave., Sweeny, TX 77480.

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