Betty Ruth (Ivey) Brooks

Betty Ruth (Ivey) Brooks, of Fletcher, North Carolina, passed away peacefully the early morning of June 22, 2025. She lived at Silverbell Homestead Memory Care since October '23 and was cared for by a very wonderful and loving staff in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina near her son Richard.  

Born to Byron and Dora Ivey on February 12, 1930, in Linneus, Maine, Betty was the one of five daughters growing up on a potato farm that instilled a true sense of hard work, family values and ability to overcome any obstacles she faced in life.   

She spent her high-school and junior college years at Ricker Classical Institute. Later she moved to Pensacola,  Florida and worked as a stenographer for the U.S. Navy at NAS Pensacola.  It was there in the Officers Club that she met Naval Cadet Darrell H. Brooks with his introduction line "I hear that there is a  girl from Maine here".  They were so in love from the start that they eloped to Canada. Soon after Darrell's graduation from flight training, they were officially married in Florida.  

During the following 16 years together they brought into this world five children all while moving back and forth across the country as Darrell grew in his rank as a U.S. Naval Aviator.  In July 1968, Darrell was conducting landing qualifications aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. CORAL SEA when his aircraft went down in the Pacific Ocean and was never recovered.  At that time Betty and the children were living in Virginia Beach and preparing to move to Guam for his tour of duty during the Vietnam War. She decided to remain in Virginia Beach raising her five children ages 22 months to 14 years old.  Betty worked full-time as an Office Manager at an OB/GYN office until her retirement.  Her unwavering love and dedication to her children throughout her life will be her legacy. 

Betty was predeceased by her husband, Darrell, her youngest son Kevin and sisters Flora, Jean and Pat.  She is survived by four children, Cathi, Dee Dee (Darrilyn) Mike, Richard, her sister Carol Power, nine grandchildren (Jeremy, Jason, Kim, Caitlin, Zachary, Hunter, Alexa, Shane and Logan), and three great-grandchildren (Zoe, Lorenzo and Kevin James)

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