BROOKE, Helen (EIKER)

EIKER, BROOKE, HENDRICKSON, PENMAN, STOETZEL

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/10/2015 at 04:55:11

Leon Journal-Reporter
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa

Obituary ~ Helen (Eiker) Brooke
May 5, 1918 ~ June 20, 1983

HELEN EIKER BROOKE was born in Leon, Iowa on May 5, 1918 and died unexpecitedly of cancer and hypertensive heart disease on June 20, 1983 in Havilah, Ca. and was the youngest child of the late Dr. BERT L. EIKER and the late EDITH HENDRICKSON EIKER. Her sister EDITH E. PENMAN of Sacramento, Ca.; and her brothers, JAMES H. EIKER of Las Vegas, Nv. survive.

She married ROYSE LYNN BROOKE in Texas where they lived and raised three children: Dr. JAMES NELSON BROOKE, a metallurgist with Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, Pa.; Dr. MANYA BROOKE STOETZEL, a research entomologist with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Md.; and Major RONALD MITCHELL BROOKE, U. S. Army, Germany. HELEN is also survived by five grandchildren.

HELEN attended elementary school in Leon and began her higher education in Texas. After her children were grown she returned to college. In 1968 she received the Degree of Associate of Arts from El Centro College, Dallas, where she was selected for Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges and was initiated into Phi Theta Kappa. In 1970 she received the Degree of Bachelor of Arts from North Texas State University, Denton, where she was initiated into Alpha Delta the National Sociology Honor Society. In 1971 she received the Degree of Master of Arts from Loyola University of Los Angeles where she was a made a member of Phi Alpha Theta in recognition of her conspicuous attainments and scholarship in the field of History.

HELEN originally trained as a pianist and vocal coach. While most of her poetry, songs, and writings were shared among her family and friends, some were published. Her later interest in art and history lead her to serve for several years during the 1970’s as a docent at the J. Paul Getty Museum in California.

[Interment was made in Leon Cemetery, Leon, Iowa.]

Transcription and submission by Sara Rose Joan LeFleur