Katherine Reed Brooke passed away peacefully in her sleep surrounded by family on Friday, September 16 at Kingsbury Place in Defiance Ohio.
Mary Katherine Reed Brooke was born January 23rd 1925 in Delaware county Ohio to George and Ruth Reed at her grandfather Hill’s home. She had 3 siblings, Betty, Johnny, and Molly, who preceded her in death.
On August 15th 1947 she married the love of her life Leslie Alva Brooke, who preceded her in death in 1995. They were married at Trinity Episcopal Church Columbus, Ohio.
Kay leaves behind three children. Les (Becky) Brooke of Defiance, Ohio, Linda (Noel) Johnston of Greeley, Colorado, and Lisa (Robert) Morgan of Bowling Green, Ohio. She also leaves behind four grandchildren, Andrea Johnston in Tokyo, Japan, Kevin Johnston of Brooklyn, New York, Heather Gable, of Findlay, and Katherine Brooke, also of Defiance. Kay was proud to have three great grandchildren, Lucy, Quinn, and Reid Gable.
She graduated in 1943 from Ostrander High School. After graduation she moved to Columbus to help in the war effort. She became a “Rosie the Riveter” modifying landing struts on Curtis-Wright SB2C Hell Divers while attending secretary school at night. She then started working for the Army Corp of Engineers till the end of the war. After Moving to Defiance in 1949, she helped design and create costumes for many of her husband’s musicals and shows. She also became active in many local organizations. She worked as a crossing guard at Brickell School for many years, and was a field supervisor for the United States Census Bureau retiring in 1996.
Kay was the first president and a founding member of the Defiance Coin Club as well as a past president of the Defiance Historical Society. She was also a founding member of Auglaize Village. As an amateur paleontologist and archaeologists Kay found many artifacts in the Defiance area including an ancient site occupied by the late Woodlands people of the Ontario and Younge Traditions. The site is named in her honor, “Brooke Site”, and is registered with the National Register of Historic Places.
Another of her passions was painting in oils. She could be seen around town painting many of the town’s landmarks including: The East Side firehouse, The historic “Castle”, the East Side Elevator, The Hopkins Street Bridge, The Clinton Street Bridge, among many others.
Kay was a member of Grace Episcopal Church in Defiance. She enjoy hearing the singing voices of her three children and being with family and friends. She will be missed but will always be in our hearts.
Grave side services will be held Thursday, September 22nd, at 11:00am at Riverside Cemetery in Defiance, Ohio next to her husband. There will be a celebration of her life with a viewing of her artifacts and paintings at a later date.
Schaffer Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Online condolences can be given at www.Schafferfh.com.
