Dorothy E. Brooks

WINDHAM — Dorothy Ellen Allen Brooks, 92, of Windham passed away in her sleep on Sept. 16, 2011 in Westbrook at the Springbrook Health Care Center.
She was born on Aug. 17, 1919 in Portland, the daughter of Franklin S. Allen Sr. and Florence Gallaway Allen.
Dorothy was educated in Portland Schools and was a 1937 graduate of Deering High School. After graduating high school, she moved with her best friend Janet to Washington D.C. where they met their future husbands. On Sept. 12, 1942, she married George H. Brooks, a World War II veteran and they settled in Windham to raise their family. Together, they raised three children. Family was her greatest joy in life and she was proud of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loved to brag about them all, as well as attend as many events that she could! In addition to raising her family, she also went to beauty school and worked at Knapps Music Store and Fotomat. She absolutely loved music and participated in community productions in Windham and was a member of the Sweet Adeline’s Singing Group. In her later years, she was a member of the Foster Grandparents Organization and spent time with the kids in Windham Elementary Schools. She loved spending time at her camp on Little Sebago and loved to go to the ocean and splash in the waves. She had a contagious laugh, a huge sweet tooth and her chocolate chip cookies are world famous!
She was predeceased by her parents; her husband; her brother, Franklin S. Allen Jr.
Surviving are her three children, Betty Rhoades, Dennis Brooks and Gary Brooks, all of Windham; two sisters, Florence May Maines of Rhode Island and Isabelle Koceika of Sebago; a brother, Raymond Allen of Tennessee; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours were held on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at the Dolby Funeral Chapel, 434 River Road in Windham from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service was held at the chapel on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. Burial followed in Brooklawn Memorial Park, Outer Congress Street, Portland.