Lucy Van Middelem Brooks, age 92, was born in Brugge, Belgium on February 4, 1916, and died in McKinney, TX, on March 11, 2008. She was preceded in death by her parents, Camiel and Hermine Van Middelem, by her husband of 61 years, Gordon Elliot Brooks, by brothers Dr. Charles Van Middelem and Eugene Van Middlelem, and by sisters Johanna Young and Mary Jones. She is survived by three sons, John Gordon Brooks and his wife, Shirley, of Modesto, CA; Richard Eugene Brooks and his wife, Sharon, of Mattituck, NY and Boynton Beach, FL; Gregory Van Middelem Brooks and his wife, Carol, of Spring Hill, FL; one daughter, Sylvia Brooks Wilson and her husband, Ronald, of McKinney, TX; and two sisters-in-law, Audrey Brooks Decker of Minoa, NY and Joan Van Middelem of Mt. Sinai, NY. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren: Lisa York and her husband, Johnny, of Pensacola, FL; Richard Brooks and his wife, Lisa, of San Jose, CA; April Plapp of Henderson, NV; Karen Fortino of Hollister, CA; Lori Hey and her husband, Lloyd, of Chapel Hill, NC; John Brooks and wife Paulette, of Auburn, ME; Amy Davis and her husband, Paul, of Rye, NY; Heather D’Antoni and her husband, Gregory, of Bay Shore, NY; Gordon Brooks of Naples, FL; Adam Brooks and his wife, Gwendolyn, of Norman, OK; Travis Brooks of Norman, OK; Gloria Brooks of St. Petersburg, FL; Melissa Brooks of Spring Hill, FL; Noah Brooks of Honolulu, HI: Christine Parini and her husband, Michael, of Malverne, NY; April Wilson of New York, NY; Leslie Wilson of New York, NY; and Laura Wilson of McKinney, TX. She is also survived by 20 great-grandchildren: Caroline and William York; Marissa and Michael Brooks; Jesse and Brody Plapp; Michelle Fortino; David and Sarah Hey; Christopher, Emily and Carolyn Brooks; Patrick, Conner and Katelyn Davis; Paige Brooks; Kelton Brooks; and James, Danielle and Emily Parini. Lucy became a proud naturalized citizen soon after coming to the United States at the age of four. She was raised in Riverhead, NY, where she excelled in swimming, basketball and track, setting a NY State record during her high school years. After graduating Ryder College in Lawrenceville, NJ, she held several secretarial positions, including working in her former high school and for several prominent lawyers in New York and Florida. After retirement, Lucy worked 15 more years in the emergency room of Martin Memorial Hospital in Stuart, Florida, retiring a second time at age 85. Lucy’s life was full of friends, family and fun. She took great pride in the fact that all four of her children were college educated. She loved playing Duplicate Bridge and earned the Life Master rating. She was a member of Custer Road United Methodist Church and the P.E.O. Sisterhood. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Lucy’ behalf to the Hope Rural School, 15929 SW 150th Street, Indiantown, FL, 34956, an organization that she supported for many years.