Sue Jean Brooks, known to many as "Granny B," was born on August 28, 1934, in Winfield, Kansas, the daughter of William Robert Johnson and Bertha (Brannon) Johnson. She moved on to her heavenly home on June 16, 2021, after a brief illness.
Sue Jean lived nearly her entire life in Winfield. She frequently expressed pride in being the first black baby born in William Newton Memorial Hospital according to hospital records.
Blacks in the 1940s and early 50s faced many forms of racial discrimination and bigotry. Winfield was no exception. Winfield schools were integrated but life for blacks in these schools was not easy. Sue Jean told many stories of how she had to fight for respect while going to school. Her fighting spirit was developed through these early experiences. She succeeded in overcoming every obstacle and graduated from Winfield High School in 1952. She would go on to earn a BA degree in Art from Southwestern College (Winfield) in 1978 after raising a family of five.
On November 2, 1952, she married William Phillip Brooks of Newkirk, Oklahoma. Bill and Sue then started their family in Winfield. Professionally, Sue Jean began working at Winfield State Hospital early in their marriage. She worked as a certified mental retardation professional until her retirement in the mid-1990s.
From 1953 to 1958 Sue Jean gave birth to five children: Barry Phillip, Leslie Jeannette, Terryl Denise, William Randall and Virgil Aaron. She devoted the next four decades to raising and loving her children and grandchildren.
However, Sue Jean's heart was too big for just one family. After raising her own family, she found other families in distress and took it upon herself to help them. Whether it was picking them up for Sunday school and church, or providing necessary food and clothing, or taking groups of kids to Worlds of Fun or ensuring that kids had clothing for school, Sue Jean was always serving others. At the same time, she never sacrificed her own family. Whenever a grandchild or great grandchild found themselves needing assistance, she was there to provide it---even if it meant becoming a legal guardian.
Her compassion was not limited to children. She would often show acts of kindness to her elders, including frequent visits with the sick and lonely.
Sue Jean had a wide range of interests. She was a fun-loving person who knew how to enjoy life. In her younger days she would often go dancing in Wichita with Bill and their friends. She loved to entertain in her home playing cards or board games with friends. She was an avid bowler and she played on the Winfield State Hospital women's softball and basketball teams.
She was highly creative and loved to make art and create beauty. She painted, worked with pottery, did needlework, quilted and made all sorts of arts and craft. She loved teaching others to do the same. These interests led her to start an arts and crafts supply store called Bones-N-Things.
Sue Jean loved listening to music. Although she did not play any musical instruments, she encouraged all her children to take up stringed instruments or piano or both.
She had an opinion on many things and was not afraid to express it. Her experiences growing up in pre-Civil Rights America prepared her well for knowing how to stand up for what is right. She was always ready to defend those who could not defend themselves.
Sue Jean loved to travel specially to visit her children and grandchildren. She also loved to shop whether at garage sales, thrift shops, flea markets, department stores or even in catalogs. Bill reminds us that "Granny B" was not in love with "things" but loved to provide her kids, grandkids, great grandkids, adopted kids, friends and relatives with gifts.
Sue Jean did not talk about her faith much, but her actions spoke loudly. She was a faithful, lifelong member of Bethel AME Church in Winfield. It was a rare Sunday that she was not in church expressing her devotion to God the Father and her Lord Jesus Christ. On Sunday afternoons she was usually found in the AME basement kitchen preparing the post-service dinner. In fact, she officially received the title Chief Chef and Maitre D. For all her positive traits and good deeds, Mom knew that she was a sinner in need of salvation. She had a deep faith in the Lord as her savior; it was this faith that motivated her to do the wonderful things she did.
Sue Jean was preceded in death by her father and mother, William Robert Johnson and Bertha Johnson; her son, Virgil Aaron Brooks, her son-in-law, Reggie Lykes; her grandchildren: Gabriel Aaron Brooks (son of Barry and Susan), Jeanette Brooks and Bonita Darlene Parker Vasconcelas (daughters of Virgil and Lorraine); her great grandchild: Parker Reyes; and her brothers and sisters: Porter Brown, Ruby Cox, Lonnie Johnson, Peggy Crawford, John Parkman.
Sue Jean will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 68 years, William (Bill); and by her children (and their spouses): Barry Phillip Brooks (and wife Susan (Campbell)), Leslie Jeanette (Brooks) Lykes, Terryl Denise (Brooks) Abington (and husband Eddie Woodard Sr.), and William Randall Brooks (and wife Sheri); by her grandchildren: Bethany Hamilton, Deanna Opheim, Lauren Brooks (from Barry); Kirstie Engel, Joshua Lykes, Isiah Lykes (from Leslie); Micheal Abington, Jerald Abington (from Terryl); Carly Waller, Stephan Ali, Jenna Ali (from Randy); Marcus A. Brooks, Christina Reyes (from Virgil); by her great grandchildren: Emma and Deondre and Ethan and Marcus I. Brooks and Kennedy Reyes; Lydia and Cedric Waller II; Trevion Chandler, Tyzianna Chandler, and Jerald Abington, Jr; Shaya and Keera Garnes; and Thea Opheim; and by her sisters and brother: Willie May Milton, Arthur Brannon Johnson, and Laura Louis Mathis.
Mom was looking forward to welcoming two great grandsons into the world: Conan Heaton (due in July to Jenna Ali and Christopher Heaton) and Baby Hamilton (yet unnamed, due in August to Bethany and Caleb Hamilton).
Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, at 11:00 A.M. at Miles Funeral Service in Winfield, Kansas. www.milesfuneralservice.com
In lieu of flowers, please send donations payable to Bethel AME Church, PO BOX 374, Winfield, Kansas 67156.

Sue Jean's memorial service will be available live on Wednesday, June 30th, at the following link: