Laveda Brooks

LaVeda Noel Graham Brooks, 94, passed away on February 14, 2020 at Advent Nursing Home in Burleson, TX. She was born on April 8, 1925 in Sylvester, TX to William “Jehu” Noel and Gladys Hendrickson Noel. She was the 5th child of 10 children.
Her family moved to Brownfield, TX in 1926. The family attended Northside Baptist in Brownfield where she was saved and baptized when she was 12 years old. She attended Brownfield schools until she was in the 10th grade. In January of 1942 her and her family moved to Loraine, TX just before she was 17. She never attended school again as she was needed to help on the farm and tend to her 5 younger brothers and sisters. She had 3 older brothers and sisters that had already left home. Her brother just one year older than her, joined the military, so she was the oldest child left at home.
LaVeda stayed at home until she was 24. She met Stanley Graham in 1947 and they married November 19, 1949 in the Pleasant Ridge Community, north of Loraine, TX. They farmed in and around Loraine for the next 5 years. Their first and only child, JoNell was born in 1952. Stanley got a job with an electric company in Big Spring.TX in April of 1955, so they moved to Big Spring. They were only there 2 years when it was discovered that Stanley had a brain tumor. They declared him disabled to work and would not allow him to drive, so they decided to move back to Loraine to be close to famly. They struggled the next 4 years, financially, with LaVeda picking up any odd jobs she could - taking in ironing and babysitting. In September of 1959, her Uncle Troy Noel who lived in Brownfield, TX called and told her he would give her a job in his cleaners if they would move to Brownfield. Stanley, LaVeda and JoNell moved to Brownfield and she started working for Broadway Cleaners. There they were active members of Sage Terrace Baptist Church. Stanley passed away on Feb 6, 1965. They were happily married for 15 years. LaVeda and JoNell stayed in Brownfield until after JoNell went to college. In February 1972, LaVeda moved back home with her Mother in Colorado City, TX to help care for her Daddy who passed away 3 months later.
In 1973, while living in Colorado City, she met Ernest Brooks. They began dating and going to lots of domino parties. They married on January 12, 1974. When she married Ernest, she acquired 2 children, Buddy Brooks and Annabel Brooks. They were both grown and lived in Florida, but she was glad to be part of their lives. Ernest and LaVeda lived in Colorado City until September of 1978 when they purchased Olympic Health Food store in Abilene, TX. They were active members of Trinity Baptist Church. Ernest passed away on April 3, 1989. They were happily married for 15 years.
After losing Ernest, LaVeda kept running the health food store for another 6 years before deciding to sell it. In October of 1996 she decided to move to Arlington, TX to live closer to her daughter JoNell and family. She joined Calvary Baptist Church in Arlington and was an active member there. She had a wonderful time in Arlington, spending time with her family. She also worked at a health food store while living in Arlington.
LaVeda was always very active in what ever church she belonged to. She loved to sing and was a natural alto. In Brownfield she used to sing specials in church with her brother Boyd, and then later at Sage Terrace with other church members. Her favorite verse was Proverbs 3: 5 & 6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge and he will direct thy paths.” She also loved playing dominoes. She was very competitive and hated to lose. She loved spending time with family. She spent hours sitting at the pool watching her grandkids swim.
In 2004, JoNell and Ken moved to Burleson, TX and they bought a house big enough for LaVeda to have an apartment in the back of the house. She moved into their home September 2004. She joined Alsbury Baptist in Burleson and was an active member there until it became hard for her to drive.
She joined South Park Baptist Church in Fort Worth in August of 2013, where JoNell and Ken belonged so that she could ride to church with them. She was not able to do much at church by this time in her life but pray and sing in the congregation. She attended faithfully until sometime in 2017, but she continued to pray for her church and pastor. She continued to live with JoNell and Ken until she had a stroke on her 94th birthday, April 8, 2019. She was never able to come home after that and was moved to Advent Nursing Home; where she remained until her death.
LaVeda was preceded in death by her two husbands, her parents and 8 brothers and sisters. She is survived by her children and their spouses, Jo Nell (Ken) Strong of Burleson, Annabel (Les) Brooks of McNeil, AZ, Buddy (Christine) of Flagstaff, AZ and one sister Melba Kreidel of Midland, TX, also four sister-in-laws, Vivian Noel of Fort Worth, TX and Shirley Graham, Wanza Graham and Doris Graham, all of Loraine, TX
She is also survived by her grandchildren and great grandchildren, Teresa (Elias) Perez, Elijah and Abi of Olton, TX, Stanley (Brandy) Fisher, Luckey, Miley, Braeden and Bailey of Sulphur Springs, TX and Jake and Robert Brooks both of Flagstaff, AZ. Also 3 double nephews, Jerry (Cheri) Graham, Steve (Debbie) Graham, and Roger (Dayla) Graham and a host of other nieces, nephews and relatives.
A memorial service will be held at Lucas Blessing & Funeral Home in Burleson at 11:00 am on Friday, February 21,2020. A visitation will be held at 10:00 am prior to the funeral service. A second visitation will be held at McCoy Funeral Home in Sweetwater, TX from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 22, 2020. A graveside memorial will follow at Loraine Cemetery at 2:30 pm, where she will be buried next to her first husband, Stanley Graham.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to South Park Baptist Church building fund. 7201 Crowley Rd, Ft Worth, TX 76134.
Condolences may be left on LaVeda Brooks online guest book at lucasandblessingfh.com