Shirley Bennett Brooks of Sapulpa’s Bennett Dairy family was born on Nov. 11, 1934 and died at University Village, Tulsa on Dec.1, 2021.
Her parents were Merton Bennett and Maggie Anthony Bennett, her husband was Charles R. Brooks, and her brother was Richard Wayne Bennett, all of Sapulpa. She is survived by her daughter, Rebecca Brennan, now of Tulsa.
“Shirley liked to tell people that her life began the night that the man who would become her husband kissed her for the first time, Oct. 28, 1949,” reads the obituary. They married in 1954. She had planned to become a nurse, beginning her education at Oklahoma Baptist University, but Charles came home from the Korean Conflict with a proposal. At that time, women couldn’t be married and a nurse, so she chose Charlie.
She worked at Creek County Health Department for years, eventually being promoted to Administrator. Later in her career she took on two additional departments. She saved a copy of the recommendation for promotion, which began “Even though Mrs. Brooks is a woman, I believe she will make an excellent administrator.” Toward the end of her career, she was instrumental in getting a new Health Department facility built. It is still in use here today…
Being active in the community was important to her. She was involved in the Business and Professional Women’s Club, the Sapulpa Historical Society, and for a time had a program on the local radio station.
She and Charlie donated the streetcar that had been owned by her father to the community of Sapulpa. It was named the “Maggie M” after her mother.
Perhaps lesser known about Shirley, is that she became a belly dance instructor after learning from the then Miss Oklahoma, Susan Supernaw. In her later years she loved to tell people she met about being a belly dancer.
“She lived life out loud,” said family and friends. “Her loss leaves a hole in our heart.”
A remembrance service was Dec. 18, at University Village Retirement Center. Interment will be at the family cemetery in Braggs, Oklahoma, in the spring when the dogwoods are blooming.
Arrangements by Kelley Funeral Services, Tulsa. If you wish to make a donation in her memory, please consider the Tulsa SPCA. Her love of animals, as well as God’s creation, was well known.
