1919 – 2015

PHILLIPS — Jessie Mae Brooks, 95, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, March 7.

Jessie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and aunt who will be sorely missed by her family and church community.

She was born in the early hours of April 23, 1919, to Elwood and Eva Hamlin Sylvester in East Winslow at the farmhouse where she spent her childhood.

She married Robert A. Brooks on May 16, 1942. They lived in Wilton and spent many happy years together until his death in 2005.

In addition to being a wife and mother, Jessie worked at Foster Manufacturing Company in East Wilton until her retirement in 1981.

Through her life, Jessie was a devoted follower of Christ and took his teaching to “love the Lord God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” seriously. On Sunday mornings, you could find Jessie at church singing and praising God. In her younger years, she taught Sunday School, volunteered at Son Rise Christian Academy and opened her home to the Good News Club. Through her example, she taught her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews what it meant to be a follower of Christ. This was her greatest gift to us.

Jessie was known for making great doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and pies, which she readily shared with family, friends and neighbors. She loved to entertain family and guests in her home. She had a positive and grateful attitude about life. She always had an encouraging word. Also she had a good sense of humor and would laugh along with reruns of “I Love Lucy” and “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

Jessie is survived by her son, Robert Brooks Jr. of Currie, N.C.; her daughter, Doris Mitchell and her husband, Stephen, of Phillips; two brothers, Merlon Sylvester of Albion and Ira Sylvester and his wife, Isabelle, of Melbourne, Fla.; five grandchildren and five step-grandchildren; 15 great-grand children and step-great-grand children; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, Robert; two brothers, Fred and Ralph Sylvester; a sister, Irene Blomily; and a daughter-in-law, Joann Brooks.

The family is very grateful to the nurses and health aides from Androscoggin Home Health and Hospice and Home Care of Maine for giving Jessie many hours of comfort and personalized care during her last two weeks of earthly life.

Jessie’s family knows that she is reunited with loved ones and making herself at home in Heaven.

Condolences and tributes may be shared on her memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com.