Mary Stella (Mitchell) Brooks Obituary

Mary (Louise) Brooks passed away peacefully in Northville, MI on June 7, 2020, after a sustained effort to cope with the complications of heart failure. Louise grew up in Detroit with predeceased parents Armoza & Frank Mitchell and predeceased siblings, Ruth, Joseph, George, Paul and Frances. She is survived by her brother, Jerome. As the eldest growing up in the Great Depression, she assumed responsibility for taking care of her younger brothers and sister and working to contribute toward household income.

Louise was married to the late husband Robert G. Cantelon, whom she met on the job at Hinde and Dauch Paper Company. They enjoyed spending time at sporting events—football, hockey, baseball and boxing. They are survived by three children—Robert (Patricia), Janice and Mary Lee (Paul). She raised her children as a homemaker during their early years. Louise was remarried to the late John Newlove in June 1963, whom she met at a dance. They both loved to 'get out on the floor’ and took ballroom dancing lessons. They moved to Oil Springs, Ontario, Canada in 1967. Louise spent a majority of her career in grocery sales, in Petrolia, Ontario. Together with John, they owned horses and entered them into competitions. Much of their leisure time was spent at horse shows and square dancing.

Louise met William (Bill) Brooks, on the job at the local grocery store. He was visiting from California and staying with his son. They had a whirlwind summer romance, which ended in a marriage in Sarnia, Ontario in August 1987. In the Fall of 1987, Louise retired from her job at Zehrs Market and she and Bill moved to Marion Landing, a new retirement community in Ocala, Florida. For the next 16 years, they had the time of their lives--golfing, dancing, bowling, playing pool, participating in talent shows, playing cards & adult games, traveling around Florida and taking exotic vacations-- without a care in the world!

After Bill’s death in September 2003, Louise decided to return to Michigan and be closer to her family. In 2005, she moved to East Lansing at the encouragement of her younger sister, Ruth, who lived in the area. They spent many a day playing cards together (for money) and entering Euchre tournaments. She loved to gamble and made periodic trips to Las Vegas where her brother Jerome resides. Closer to home, she took periodic trips to Windsor and Mt. Pleasant to play the slots/tables.

Louise loved to be active, so she joined the YMCA and spent many early mornings in water aerobics classes, or participating in chair exercise work-outs and walking the halls at Abbot Parkside Apartment Complex. She had a group of friends in Lansing who called themselves the ‘Fossil Club’ and they met up weekly to socialize over happy hour. She loved spending time at family gatherings and enjoyed her four grandchildren, Joveal (Erin), Leaf, Julie and Claire and her great-grandchildren James, Elmore and Erzebett.

After the passing of her sister, Louise asked to be moved closer to her children, as she was no longer comfortable driving, due to advancing macular degeneration. In July 2019, she moved to Oakmont of Northville, a senior living community. Louise enjoyed her short time at Oakmont playing cards, Bingo or other senior games with new friends.Louise’s ashes will be interred at Gunnisonville Cemetary in DeWitt, Michigan. There will be a private celebration of life held at a later date. To know her was to love her. “Where there is great grief, there is great love.”