Donna Brooks

It is with great sadness that the family of Donna Jean (White) Brooks announces her passing on June 1st, 2023. Donna was born in Highlandville, Missouri to Alta and Orus White on August 26th, 1930. She graduated from Spokane High School in 1947 and married Allen Holmes (later divorced); moving to Modesto, California where her son, Douglas James was born in 1954.

She was employed with Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company for 9 years. She married H. Cecil Brooks in 1956 whereas he adopted Douglas. While Donna was employed as a Secretary for the Plumbing & Sheet Metal Associations, she and Cecil started building their vacation home in Aptos, California on weekends and summer vacations from 1957-1965. The home in Aptos became their permanent residence in 1978, and continued to fill with many beautiful memories for Donna and her family. She continued to lived there until 2022. 

Donna did volunteer work for Community Hospital on Fredrick Street in Santa Cruz, the American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity in Aptos, AT&T Pro AM at Pebble Beach, and The First Tee Open for many years until she joined the Women’s Golf Club at Pajaro Valley in 1981. She was an avid golfer and also held many offices within the Women’s Club. 

Donna and Cecil were married 40 years and were fortunate to have enjoyed many golfing and leisure trips all over the world. A few favorite highlights included a trip to Southeast Asia seeing Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Bangkok, and Malaysia, as well as spending a month in Europe exploring Holland, France, Germany, Italy, Scotland and England where they visited Cecil’s cousin. 

Donna is survived by her son Douglas James Brooks, her granddaughter; Victoria Lynne, and her grandson; Nicholas James, of Draper, Utah; her stepson, R. Tanfield (Skip) Brooks of Salt Lake City, Utah; his children; Peter (Suzanne) Brooks, Ashley (Morgan) Boyack, Emily (Adam) Wayment, John (Kate) Brooks, Ben (Katie) Brooks, Mary (Spencer) Thompson, William (Tara) Brooks, and Olivia (Dillon) Jensen, and many more grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her niece, Donna Joleen Brown and her family; her nephew, Terry O’Banion; another niece, Margaret Diane (Gavin) Williams, of Santa Ana, California and many cousins in Missouri. 

In addition to her parents, Donna is preceded in death by her beloved husband, H. Cecil Brooks; sister, June Eileen Pyne, stepdaughter-in-law Charmaine Brooks, step granddaughter, Elizabeth Brooks, and nephew Terry O’Banion. 

Donna came to be known as “Grama by the Ocean”. She lived a very active lifestyle well into her late 80’s; still constantly golfing, walking, gardening and cooking hot cakes, homemade raspberry jam, applesauce and lemon bars, for anybody who visited (even if they were already full). She loved her family fiercely, loved tending to her yard, and loved a good frappechino from Starbucks. To all the many neighbors, friends, and family that visited or checked in on, or fixed things for Donna throughout the years, she adored every visit and moment with you.

We encourage you to share a fond memory or message of condolence in lieu of services.