Obituary of Maxine Brooks

Maxine M. "Mitze" Brooks Age 82, of Morris, IL and formerly Council Bluffs, Iowa, passed away early Tuesday morning, February 10, 2015 at Park Pointe Healthcare and Rehab Center. She was born March 1, 1932 in Iowa, and was raised by her parents, Pauline and Laurtis Laursen in Council Bluffs where she resided for many years until moving to Morris later in life. She was the beloved mother of Marcia (Ken) Flora, Rhonda (Chet) Felton, the late Diana (Ed) Flanagan, Clifford (fiance Heather) Barth, Ronnie (Stacy) Barth, Cindy (the late Tony) Cavallaro, Lori (Kip) Aistrope and Gary (fiance Gloria) Barth; loving grandmother of many special grandchildren and great-grandchildren; fond sister-in-law of Mary (the late Francis "Frank") Laursen and dear aunt of several nieces and nephews. She will also be missed my many close friends, including Brad Olson. Preceded in death by her husband, Ken Brooks; daughter, Diana; parents, Pauline and Laurtis; brother, Frank and son-in-law, Tony. Mitze, a talented baker/cake decorator, was the former owner and operator of Mitze's Cake Creations. She loved crafts and watching her beloved Chicago sports teams on TV and cheering her Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks and Cubbies. As it was Mitze's wish cremation rites have been accorded. Memorials in her name can be made to the Morris Hospital Ambulance Service or the Morris Hospital Patient Transportation Services. She really appreciated the friends she made from both of those wonderful organizations.