Mary Emily Upchurch Brooks, 87, passed away on Friday, August 24, 2012 at Oktibbeha County Medical Center in Starkville, Mississippi.

Mrs. Brooks was born on May 31, 1925 to Robert Wirt Upchurch and Rubie Bruce Upchurch at the family home on Whitfield Street in Starkville. Mrs. Brooks graduated from Starkville High School and attended Mississippi State College for Women majoring in Home Economics.

She was married to J. Hammond Brooks until his death in 1982. They were childhood and high school sweethearts. She was a loving mother to her children, an accomplished seamstress and an extraordinary cook. Mrs. Brooks was employed with the Sears Catalog store in Starkville for 20 years. She was baptized and married in the chapel at First Baptist Church and was a charter member of Faith Baptist Church in Starkville.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Julian Hammond Brooks and a sister Catherine Upchurch of Durham, North Carolina.

Mrs. Brooks is survived by her daughter Mary Ann Brooks Livingston and her husband Wayne of Starkville; two sons: Jimmie Brooks and his wife Linda of Pearl, MS and Bobby Brooks and his wife Pam of Couch, Missouri; a sister Frances Upchurch Hall of Lansing, Michigan; and a brother-in-law Robert Brooks of Orlando, Florida. Mrs. Brooks was blessed to have seven grandchildren: Tom Livingston of Birmingham, AL; Molly Livingston Russell of Beavercreek, OH; William Brooks, Jessica Brooks Maulden and Jennifer Brooks of Pearl, MS; Allen Brooks and Chad Brooks of Couch, MO. She has nine great-grandchildren and another due in October.

Visitation will be held at Welch Funeral Home from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on August 26 with a graveside service on August 27 at Oddfellows Cemetery at 10:00 A.M. The Rev. Clifton Curtis of First Baptist Church will conduct the ceremony and Dr. Tom Jenkins will provide the music. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Palmer Home for Children in Columbus, MS, P.O. Box 746 Columbus, Ms. 39703-9983