Margaret Elva Brooks

      The angels took Margaret E. Brooks to heaven on May 31, 2021. Margaret lived a long rich life that was full of loving family and friends. She treated everyone with kindness, graciousness and was grateful for knowing happiness and love. She was friendly with everyone she met, eager to strike up a conversation and enjoy a good laugh.

      Margaret was born on December 3, 1933 in Walsenburg, Colorado. As the daughter of a coal miner, she grew up with her sisters in the coal mining towns of Rugby, Big Four and Tioga. She graduated from Huerfano County High School in 1951 and then moved to work in Pueblo CO. She married Tom Lewis in 1952 and they had two daughters, Darlene and Carol. Margaret’s beloved Tom passed away in 1965 and she was twice lucky in love when she was married to John Brooks in 1968 until he passed away in 1999. In 1976, John’s job with the US Government required them to move to Ventura County, California, where Margaret lived for 45 years. Margaret was employed at Naval Air Station Point Mugu in various administrative assistant positions. She retired in 1994.

     Margaret loved doing activities with family and friends. She especially enjoyed picnics and holidays with relatives, trips to Washington to spend time with Darlene and David, many trips to visit family and friends in western states, did a tour with her sister Betty Pratt to Branson, MO, and took a cruise to Alaska, a tour to New England and traveled to various national parks with her niece Josephine Lucero. She also did a month-long road trip with friend Pat Soder through 15 states. She had long-time friends with whom she went to plays and concerts, played bridge several times per week, went to museums, enjoyed growing flowers and succulents in her garden, read books, and enjoyed watching the LA Dodgers and Denver Broncos. Margaret knitted countless lap blankets that were donated to the Veteran’s Hospital and to members of her church. She enjoyed going to church and participating in their women’s group activities, going to a Bone Builder’s exercise class and other activity groups.

     As a child, Margaret’s grandson, Jake Freeman, spent a lot of time with Margaret and John and often took vacations with them. Jake lived with Margaret the past few years, as care giver support and valuable companionship. He also provided her with tremendous joy and happiness. Jake’s cheerful disposition helped make Margaret’s last few years extremely pleasurable; Jake was Margaret’s grandson as well as one of her best friends.

     Margaret is preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Josephine Topping, beloved husbands Tom Lewis and John Brooks, daughter Carol Freeman, brothers Jim Topping and Henry Thomas Topping, and sister Viola Rose Arroyo.

     She is survived by her daughter Darlene Lewis-Chinn (David) (Issaquah, WA), grandson Jake Freeman (Oxnard, CA), sisters Betty Pratt (Riverside, CA) and Jody Coca (Trinidad, CO), many nieces, nephews, cousins, many friends and Jake’s friends who called her “Grandma”.

     The family would like to thank Senior Planning Services, especially Eloisa Garcia, for their expert and friendly care giver support this year. We also thank the medical staff at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Gigi and the staff at Brookhaven AL Care Home in Camarillo, and the nurses at Mission Hospice for the compassionate care they provided Margaret in her final days. They made her life comfortable to the end.

     The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to your favorite charity.

     Please join the family for a Service of Remembrance to honor and remember Margaret at 11:00am on Saturday, July 10, 2021, at Living Hope Church, 755 Bard Road, Port Hueneme, CA.

     Arrangements are under the direction of Conejo Mountain Funeral Home & Memorial Park.