Sarah Gillis Brooks

SARAH GILLIS BROOKS, 86, passed away Friday, January 14, 2011, in a local healthcare facility. She was a retired LPN from Bradley Memorial Hospital. She was a lifetime member of the Order of the Eastern Star Harmony 143 and the Lady Shrine. She was an active member of the North Cleveland Baptist Church where she was a long-time member of the Homemakers Sunday School class and the J.O.Y. Senior Adult group. She was also active in Bridgemakers. She served as pastor’s wife at several local churches, including Thompson Springs Baptist Church, Bellefounte Baptist Church, and Fairview Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Ralph Conley Brooks; parents, Herman and Minnie (Russell) Gillis; daughter, Patricia (Brooks) Melton; brothers Herman Gillis, Jr., and Frank Penland; and sons-in-law A.C. Manley and Donald Eugene Melton. She is survived by her daughter, Sarah Margaret Brooks Manley of Cleveland; grandchildren, Carla (Manley) Brown of Cleveland, and Douglas Heath Manley, of Athens; great-granddaughter, Bethany Leigh Brown of Cleveland; grandson-in-law, J. Mack Brown of Cleveland; sister and brother-in-law, Lila Jo and Leroy Murray of Canton, NC; also several nieces, nephews, and extended families. Funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, January 17, 2011, in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home officiated by the Rev. Dr. Jay McCluskey and the Rev. Dr. Douglas Slocumb. Interment will be held Monday, January 17, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at Sunset Memorial Gardens concluding with a white dove release ceremony. Serving as pallbearers will be J. Mack Brown, Brian Conard, Ralph Earby, Scott Gillis Murray, John Ownby, and Sam Shorrosh. The family will receive friends Sunday, January 16, 2011, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Brooks family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.