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Marjorie Brooks
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A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at the First United Methodist Church, 16th and I streets, Modesto, for Marjorie Tallmon Brooks, 81, of Modesto. She died Aug. 2, 2012 at her home after failing to overcome major injuries from an automobile crash about a month ago.

Born Sept. 4, 1930 in Woodland, to Raymond and Violet Tallmon, Marjorie moved to Hughson where she began her high school years. She graduated from Modesto Junior College and later earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Stanislaus State University.

She then began her extensive teaching, writing and volunteer careers. She taught a wide range of children/students from the initial Head Start program in 1965 to high school classes at Ceres, Hughson and Turlock. During that teaching career she served as an evaluator of high school student publications for Florida, Iowa and Missouri. She also served as a chair/member of WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) for numerous high schools as part of their accreditation process. Mrs. Brooks served as the co-director of the University of the Pacific summer journalism program, and in a similar capacity for the University of Alabama.

For many years she managed the "Our Turn" column for senior writers for the Modesto Bee. She continued to write feature columns for the Bee.

Her most recent volunteer effort was monitoring and reviewing government programs funded through the Stanislaus County Area Agency on Aging. She had served as president of the National League of Pen Women, from which she earned recognition multiple years for her poetry and essay contributions. Marjorie was a dedicated member of the First United Methodist Church and a long-term member and past president of the PEO Sisterhood.

Honors given to Mrs. Brooks over the years included Stanislaus County Teacher of the Year, National Journalism Education Lifetime Achievement, Stanislaus Commission for Women's Outstanding Woman, and most recently, Stanislaus County Outstanding Senior Citizen (2012).

She leaves behind her husband of 64 years, Lee Brooks of Modesto; her son, Michael Brooks of Sonora; her brother, Robert Tallmon of Modesto; two grandchildren, Brian Turner of San Jose, and Allyson Adair of Sacramento; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by daughter Nancy Schaffer and brother, George Tallmon.

Remembrances should be directed to one's favorite charity.

-Ceres Courier/ August 8, 2012