Mary Edna Brooke Sept. 7, 1931 – Sept. 2, 2018 Mary Edna Brooke, 86, of South Bend, IN, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 2, 2018 at 4:12 AM, in the presence of several family members, in the home of her granddaughter and husband, Michel and Randy Reese of Goshen, IN.
Mary Edna was the second of three daughters, born to Leon and Carol (May) Graham, of Bronson, MI She learned to play the piano, the accordion, and sing harmony while growing up in the Great Depression years of the 1930’s. She lived in a time when many things were rationed and life was simple out of necessity, gratitude led to contentment. As a teenager, Mary Edna entered a pie contest in the state of Michigan and won First Place for her cherry pie.
Making cherry pies was something she loved to do the rest of her life. While in college, she performed in music groups vocally, on piano, and on accordion, and also led music at revival services throughout the southern Michigan and northern Indiana areas. She and her sisters enjoyed singing together throughout their adult lives, even if it was just acapella around a holiday table.
She attended Bethel College where she met Cyril C. Brooke, whom she married on December 18, 1954. He was drafted into the Korean Conflict. Upon his return, they became engaged and married shortly thereafter.
They were married for 58 years before his passing on January 10, 2013. To their union, they had 4 children: Brian (Evelyn) Brooke of South Bend, IN; Becky (Geff) Fisher of Bristol, IN; Brenda (Keith) Walorski of North Liberty, IN; and Bradley (Kim) Brooke of South Bend, IN. They were blessed with 12 grandchildren who they loved dearly: Michel (Randy) Reese of Goshen, Marc (Stephanie) Fisher of South Bend, Melissa (Marcus) Cantieri of Elkhart, Mindy Fisher of Bristol, Michael (Amber) Walorski of New Carlisle, Ashley Walorski of South Bend, Albert Ulangco, Alvin Rosqueta, Ashley and Alyssa Brooke, Tyler and Sarah Brooke, all of South Bend, and 6 great-grandchildren, with two more to be born soon.
Other than her children and grandchildren, she is also survived by several brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law: Paul Loucks, Jergene and Raymond Christopher, Dwight and Arlene Brooke, and Daniel and Vera Brooke, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Cyril, both sisters donna May Loucks, and Margaret Hamilton, and one brother-in-law, Henry Hamilton, and a great-grandchild, Anastasia Cantieri. After raising her children, Mary Edna went to work for the South Bend Community School Corp.
as a school secretary at Greene Elementary. After retirement, she and Cyril enjoyed national and international travel. They had a passion for ministry in their little church in Crumstown, Grace Chapel, where she played piano and organized Bible School with Cyril for many years.
Child Evangelism was a ministry that was very close to her heart. Dementia may have taken away her memories of many people and things, but it never robbed her of her deep faith in God. The greatest love of her life in recent years was going to church and singing hymns.
She was wheelchair bound for five years. She lived at Hubbard Hill Assisted Living for almost two years, Caring Junction in Mishawaka for a year, then with her daughter, Becky, or her granddaughter Michel, for the past thirteen months. Visitation for Mary Edna will be from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Sept.
5, at the Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 South Michigan St., South Bend. Services will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be at Sumption Prairie Cemetery following the service.
In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions may be made to Child Evangelism or Gideons International. The family wishes to thank the nurses and staff from Center for Hospice and Pallative Care, and the many friends who have shown support and encouragement for them and Mary Edna over the years that she bravely lived with this disease. Her oldest and dearest friends were a treasure to her and to us, her children.
Online condolences to the family may be sent to www.
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