Alice Carolyn (Minton) Brooks

Alice Carolyn (Minton) Brooks, 85, passed away peacefully on May 5, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. A woman of deep faith, Alice lived a life defined by the values of her rural Kentucky upbringing.

Born Alice Carolyn Minton on September 13, 1940, in Beaver Dam, Kentucky, she was the daughter of Arthur Minton and Edith Mansfield Thornton Minton. Alice grew up on her family’s 35-acre farm, attending a one-room schoolhouse in Horton, where her mother taught. She walked four miles to school each day with her brothers and sister, developing the strong work ethic and resilience that would define her life. She was a proud 1958 graduate of Beaver Dam High School and a member of the National Honor Society, often recalling the excitement of attending every home game during the basketball team’s first-ever run to the state finals.

Alice began her professional journey at 17 as a typesetter and social columnist for the Ohio County Messenger in her hometown. On February 13, 1960, she married Thomas Duane Brooks in Beaver Dam, beginning a beautiful partnership that would span 64 years until Thomas’s passing in December 2024. Alice often shared that their marriage was built on honesty, hard work, faithfulness, and shared religious beliefs.

After working in administration at Bendix-Westinghouse Corporation and in marketing at Mead Johnson Corporation in Evansville, Indiana, Alice transitioned to her most cherished role as a homemaker in 1969 following the birth of her first son. She was a devoted mother who nurtured her children with patience, love, and the teaching of positive values.

A woman of unwavering Christian faith, Alice’s life was anchored in her belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. She carried forward the strong values her parents instilled in her—honesty, kindness, and integrity—living them out daily in her interactions with everyone she encountered.

Alice treasured family above all else and found joy in life’s simple pleasures. An enthusiastic traveler, she loved sharing her adventures, especially an unforgettable hot air balloon flight over Albuquerque on a Western road trip. She loved listening to classic country music—especially George Jones, Patsy Cline, and Vern Gosdin—and enjoyed gazing at the stars on summer nights, just as her mother taught her as a child. Her trip to England, Scotland, Ireland, and France fulfilled a lifelong dream of walking the lands of her ancestors, where she delighted in discovering Minton Fine China displayed at Windsor Castle.

Alice was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Thomas Duane Brooks; her parents, Arthur and Edith Minton; her sister, Laura Ellen (Minton) Decker; her brother, John Lowell Minton; and her cherished granddaughter, Aleya Nicole Lin Brooks.

She is survived by her two sons, Jason Thomas (Darla) Brooks and Stephen Duane (Beth) Brooks; her brother, Warren Douglas (Cindy) Minton; her grandchildren, Andrew Blake Brooks, Nathanael Ryan Thomas Brooks, Emma Carolyn Brooks, and Ethan John Thomas Brooks; and a host of extended family and friends who will miss her dearly.

Visitation will be held from 10 AM until 12 PM CST Friday May 8, 2026, at William L. Danks Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Sunnyside Cemetery.  

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Les Feldick Ministries, 30706 West Lona Valley Road, Kinta, OK 74552, an organization that held special meaning to Alice.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Alice Carolyn (Minton) Brooks, please visit our floral store.