Mary Pauline (Polly) Rice Brooks of Franklin, North Carolina, entered into eternal rest to join our Savior in Heaven on December 1, 2020 at the age of 87.
She was born on July 24, 1933 in Highlands, North Carolina to the late Mr. and Mrs. William Herbert Rice. She moved to Florida at the age of 5 and later returned to the mountains to retire.
Polly is survived by her husband of 67 years, Joseph Richman (Rich) Brooks, Jr., her brother, Rev. Herbert Warren Rice (Bette) of Locust, North Carolina, and her children: Joseph Richman Brooks, III (Sharon) of Franklin, North Carolina, Christina Brooks Hoeffner (Raymond) of Fort Pierce, FL, and Kathryn Brooks Hyams (Jimmy) of Charleston, South Carolina.
Surviving her also are eleven grandchildren: Jacob Brooks (Misty), Elizabeth Padgett (Shawn), Jeremy Brooks (Kira), Cody Brooks (Lulu), Candace Wickham (Jay), Christina Floyd (Graham), Shari Orr (Brian), Adam Hoeffner, Clayton Hyams (Naomi), Amy Bearden (Hunter), Ashley Grace Hyams and nine great grandchildren: Kanisha Brooks, Ean Brooks. Kylie Brooks, Jonah Brooks, Nick Padgett, Tyler Padgett, Emma Wickham, Cole Wickham, and Grayson Floyd. She was preceded in death by her great granddaughter, Macy Tate Brooks. Polly also had many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Polly was a wife, mother, grandmother, and a homemaker. She also worked as the daycare director and church secretary of First Baptist Church of Port St. Lucie, Florida. She loved to do needlework, work on crossword puzzles, and to cheer on the Yankees as they played.
Polly was a devout Christian who served our Lord by being a Sunday School teacher, Sunday School Director, Women's Bible Study Leader, church pianist, and she sang in the choir. Her favorite Bible verse was 1 Peter 5:7- He careth for you.