Kathryn Josephine Brooks

Kathryn Lambert Brooks of Atlanta, GA died on February 24, 2023, at the age of 85. She was born in SC, the sixth of nine children. She received her nursing diploma from Birmingham Southern College in 1957 and was campus nurse there from 1961 - 1967. While working as a nurse there, she met and fell in love with Joseph Marion Brooks, Jr. They were married on April 11, 1958, and remained happily married for 56 years until Joe's passing in 2013. Kathy and Joe had two children, Joseph Brooks III, and Kirby Lea. The family moved back and forth between Birmingham and Atlanta several times before settling permanently in Atlanta.

Kathy went on to receive her Master of Nursing degree from Emory University in 1991 and was a member of the 1997 class of the Johnson & Johnson - Wharton Fellows Program for Management for Nurse Executives. She devoted her life to nursing and spent the largest part of her nursing career at Georgia Mental Health Institute, where she became the Director of Nursing until GMHI closed its doors in 1997. From there she worked at DeKalb Community Services Board, Cobb Community Services Board and for the State of Georgia, before "retiring". In her retirement, she taught psychiatric nursing clinicals at several universities around Atlanta. She was a firm, but gentle leader who never stopped encouraging others to pursue a career in clinical psychology. Finally at the age of 75, she retired. She remained very involved with her nursing network for the rest of her life, and, when asked what she did, continued to say, "I am a nurse".

Kathy was an avid reader (read every book in her high school library), cook, and gardener who shared those passions with her children and grandchildren. Kathy loved her grandchildren and supported everything they did. She loved taking them places when they were young. When one of them got tired while on an outing, she would simply sit down on a bench, wherever they were and let them take a long nap in her lap until they were ready to go again. She loved to travel, especially to the beach at Cape San Blas where she took the entire family on vacation for over 30 years. Kathy was very involved in Oak Grove United Methodist Church, teaching Sunday School, helping with the youth group, as a UMW member and president, member of several circles, bible study groups, Sunday school class and supporter of all Oak Grove events. She loved Oak Grove and her friends from all these groups dearly.

Kathy was so much to so many. Devoted wife of over 50 years, loving mother, grandmother, sister, friend, neighbor, and mental health supporter of all including many she didn't even know. She is preceded in death by her husband, Joe Brooks, Jr.; her parents, Maggie and Edward Lambert, and siblings: EC, Estelle, Buddy, Marjorie, Ed, and Wayne. She is survived by her children, Joe Brooks (Robyn Giles), Kirby Meng (Travis); her grandchildren Joseph Brooks IV (mother, Linda Brooks), Travis Meng, Jr., and Sarah Kathryn Meng Ruder (Chance); her sister Mary Nell Lambert, brother David Lambert (Sue), and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She will be sorely missed by all.