Mary Riester Brooks

 

A Celebration of Life for Mary Riester Brooks, 95, Lawrence, will be January 27, 2014 at
Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. A visitation will be held from 5-6 pm and service will begin at 6:00 in the chapel.
 
Mary passed away on December 31st, 2013, at Brandon Woods at Alvamar.
 
She was born October 2nd, 1918, in Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of Louis Bonaface Riester and Gretchen Land Riester. Mary went to live with her Aunt, Kenneth Toon when she was 3 years old. She graduated from high school in Frankfort , Ky. She attended college at The University of Kentucky in Lexington.
 
Mary was a secretary for the Governor of Kentucky and was made an honorary “Kentucky Colonel”.

She was a secretary of the Lutheran church in St. Petersburg , Florida.
 
Mary married Thomas Oliver Gans in 1950 and moved to Parkersburg, West Virginia. They had a son Thomas Oliver Gans Jr. and daughter Vicki Lynn Gans. When her husband died they moved to St. Petersburg , Fla. Mary married Dennis Moscopulos in 1960. He died in 1963. Mary married Robert Brooks on June 17th, 1967. They moved to Lawrence in 1978. Robert died in 2007.
 
Survivors include a daughter, Vicki Lynn Vormehr and companion Vance Freeman, Lawrence; three grandchildren, Nate Vormehr and wife Alana of L. A., Katy Vormehr of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Amy Vormehr of Chicago, Illinois; and one great-grandson, Brixton Vormehr of L.A.
 
A son, Thomas Gans, died in 1979.

Instead of memorials, give a flower to a friend or neighbor, or do a kind deed for someone in need.

The family would like to thank: Visiting Nurses of Lawrence, Senior Meals Delivery, The nurses and staff at Brandon Woods and Grace Hospice.

Online condolences may be sent to rumsey-yost.com.

Messages & Condolences

From Betty Sheaffer Robbins...

I am so sorry for your loss. It is very difficult to lose a loved one. May peace be with you.

From robyn herzog...

so sorry to hear bout mary she was a light in a room i love to visit with her at brandonwoods i sure will miss her and the family
she was like my hero
god bless robyn herzog

From Becky McClure...

Dear Vicki,
Thinking about you and your family. May happy memories of your mom fill you heart. Bless you.

From Tana Ahlen...

Vicky:

So sorry for your loss. Please know that I am thinking of you.

Tana

From Marion & Juanita Bohnstedt...

We learned of Mary’s death last night with a phone call from Jerry and Rhonda Henderson from Utah. They were part of the foursome of couples who ran around together having the time of our lives for a number of years. They were the first of the four couples to leave Kansas when they retired and returned to Sandy, UT. Unforgetable is the night the Brooks, the Combs, and we phoned them collect from the
Friday night
BBQ rib place down south of Ottawa. Such memories of good times with Mary will sustain us through the sorrow we feel at this time. Condolences to her family. She loved you all so very much.

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