Roseann Benefiel Brooks , 87, of rural Tuscola , passed away at 6:58 a.m., Sunday, October 4, 2020 at Copper Creek Memory Car e, Mattoon, IL.

She was born June 30, 1933 , in Olney, the daughter of Loren Elmer and Florence ( McPheron ) Benefiel .

She married Ralph K. Brooks on July 23, 1953 in Newton . H e survives .

She is also survived by her sister: Betty Jo (Ray) McCormack of St. Joseph, children:  Karen Brooks (Kenny) Benner of Tuscola, Jeff (Geri) Brooks of Lincoln, Sheryl Morris of Tuscola and Jim (LaDonna) Brooks of Richmond Heights, MO, grandchildren: Amelia Benner (Jerry Nowicki) of Springfield; Lily Benner (Marcel Tran) of Plano, TX; Elizabeth (Justin) Bruns of Port Byron; John (Deana) Brooks of Lincoln; Kelli (Taylor) Hilgendorf of Jacksonville, MO.; Nathan Dale Bartley of Tuscola; Kyle (Caitlin) Morris of Homer; Abby Brooks of St. Louis Park, MN and Luke Brooks (fiancée Chandler Moxley) of Tulsa, OK. great-grandchildren: Anna Marie Brooks of Lincoln; Ty Brooks Hilgendorf and Ada Jay Hilgendorf of Jacksonville, MO.

She was preceded in death by her brother , Bobby Gene Benefiel , who died three days before his 3rd birthday ; infant grandson Andrew Robert Benner and niece, Linda Mowry.

She was a homemaker and farmer , and active in Cartwright United Methodist Church and a member of the First Christian Church, Tuscola.

She embodied kindness and caring to everyone she met.  She always put other s ' needs before her own , was always "on-call" for kids and grandkids and sen t cards and notes to family, friends and neighbors .

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , Memorial and Honor Program , 501 St. Jude Place , Memphis, TN 38105

Written in honor of her 80 th birthday by her granddaughter, Lily Benner: "Some of my favorite memories involve sitting around the kitchen table at Grandma and Granddad's house, spinning side to side in those wonderful green chairs, listening to Grandma talk about people. Others talk about people in that malicious and gossipy sort of way that brings them down in an attempt to make yourself feel better. Not Grandma. Instead, she has the unique and almost uncanny ability to connect people across time and space and bring them into her fold. No matter who it is, Grandma knows somebody who knows their cousin, who was married to their sister, or who went to school with them in Jasper C ounty, and so forth. Probably because of this ability, Grandma can make friends with anyone, anywhere. H er friendly nature can put people at ease even in the most unexpected places. In a world that can often feel disconnected, she's an example of the power of reaching out."

Private Family Graveside Services will be held at the Cartwright Cemetery, rural Tuscola, IL with Rev. Kenneth Roedder officiating.

Hilligoss Shrader Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements. Online condolences may be shared via hilligossshraderfh.com