Deanna Jean Brooks

Deanna Jean Brooks, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at the age of 84 years.
Deanna was born on May 19, 1939, to Walter and Rose (Klukas) Willman in Wessington Springs, SD.  She was the youngest of five children born to the couple, Willard, Maynard, Donna, Bob and Deanna.    
Deanna grew up in Wessington Springs, SD, where she graduated from high school in 1957 and went on to Huron College where she was a cheerleader, Homecoming Princess and earned her Bachelor of Business Administration and Education with a Minor in Physical Education degree in 1961. During her time at Huron College, she met the love of her life, George Marvin Brooks. They were married on June 16, 1962, in Wessington Springs.  Deanna and George had five children, Brett, Craig, Brad, Kevin and Dustin.
Deanna’s careers were many and included teaching, coaching, homemaking, and mother of five rambunctious boys.   Her teaching career covered typing, shorthand, secretarial science, elementary school, special education, and physical education. She began her first year of teaching in 1961, teaching over 20 years within the Lennox, Iroquois, Philip, Burke, and Gregory school districts.  Deanna had the honor of being the first coach for the girls varsity volleyball program in Philip.  Deanna knew how important education was and dedicated herself to improving each student's intellect and person.  She was loved by all her students.
Deanna’s hobbies included baking, traveling, boating, camping, playing Sudoku and going on walks with George.  Family was everything to Deanna, there was nothing she loved more in life than taking care of her “boys”!  She spent countless hours watching her sons and grandchildren compete in sporting events and was always their biggest cheerleader.  Deanna was a devoted Catholic and she rarely missed a Sunday at church.
Deanna was loved by so many people; she was someone that everyone knew they could always count on.  Once retired from teaching, she and George traveled the country (and world) RVing and visiting family and friends.  Sadly, their traveling was cut short as Deanna was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was a resident of Avera Rosebud County Care Center for the past six years.
Deanna was preceded in death by parents Walter and Rose Willman; her brothers Robert (Bob) and Willard; and George Brooks, the love of her life for 57 years at the time of his passing in 2019.
She is survived by her children and their families: Brett and Kay Brooks; Craig and Patty Brooks and their four children, Zachery and Anastasia, Channing and Chloe, Ty and Ashley, and Evan; Brad and Laurel Brooks and their children Riley and Mason; Kevin Brooks and his children Tianna, Brooklyn and Braxton; Dustin and Jennifer Brooks; her great-grandchildren, Owen, Taytum and Halle; her brother Maynard and sister Donna, and numerous nieces and nephews.