May 19, 1939 – December 29, 2023
Emma was born the sixth child of 10 children to the late Mattie Brown-Brooks and Foster Brooks, Sr. on May 19, 1939, in Monroe, Louisiana.
Emma was a devoted Christian and servant of God. She received Christ at an early age and was baptized at Saint James United Methodist Church in Monroe, Louisiana. In 1980, she joined Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Jackson, Mississippi.
Emma was a resolute, tenacious, and brave person, and the expressions of her beliefs as she was in the way she lived. She was warm and sensitive woman whose kindness touched the lives of her family and friends. She gave generously of her time to the church and devoted time to Bible study weekly. She was a faithful member at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. She received the Susanna Wesley award of excellence because of her dedicated work in the church. This was a pin for outstanding service to the United Methodist Women where she served as president.
Dr. Brooks-Smith was a retired professor of Music at Jackson State University in
Jackson, Mississippi. She graduated from Carrol I ligh School located in Monroe, Louisiana and attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas where she was active in concert choir. During her tenure at Wiley College, she became a member of the Phi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. In 1961, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music. She went on to teach in Helena, Arkansas while pursuing her Masters degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She further pursued her education and received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education with a cognate in Ethnomusicology and Early Childhood Education from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. She holds a certificate from Orff Institute in Salzburg, Austria.
Dr. Brooks-Smith had an extensive professional career including being a music teacher at Elijah Miller Junior High School, Helena, Arkansas (1961-1964); Turner
Elementary School, Carthage, Texas (1964-1965); Holly Grove Vocational School, Holly Grove, Arkansas (1965-1966); Pemberton High School, Marshall, Texas (1966-1970);
Jackson State University, Jackson, MS (1970-1973); the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (1973-1975) and later she returned to Jackson State University until her retirement in 2001.
She received several awards and honors through the years. She was recognized as the Outstanding Alumni of Wiley College in 2013.
She was a Charter Member and the Fourth President of the LeFleurs Bluff
Chapter of The Links Incorporated (1998-2002). She shepherded many changes within the organization to offer the highest possible level of service to the community and the world for the chapter and endowed the Beatrice Mosley Memorial Scholarship at Jackson State University and provided donations to the UNCF-Tougaloo and Rust Colleges; Piney Woods Country Life School to the New York disaster victims of 9/11 and Black Soldiers War Memorial.
She served on numerous non-profit boards, including the board for the Susan G.
Komen for the Cure (Jackson, MS) and Wiley College Trustee Board and has endowed a Scholarship in her name at Wiley College (also known as Wiley University).
She is preceded in death by her husband Dr. Estus Smith; her parents Foster and Mattie Brown-Brooks, and five siblings: Foster, Jr., Lois, Leolia, Maryland, and Lawrence Brooks.
She has left to cherish in her memory, one son, Thomas St. Clair Williams, Sr., M.D., of Monroe, Louisiana; three grandchildren: Sydney, Thomas, Jr.; and Hannah.
Four siblings: John W. Brooks (Carmen), Antionette O. Brooks, Elbert Brooks, and Jasper Brooks, Sr. (Rhonda). Also, a very special nephew, who is also her godson, Anthony P. Brooks of Los Angeles, California; three dear nieces: Thelma J. “TI” Stevenson, Angela Brooks of Chicago, Illinois, and Scheherazade Brooks-Blackman and her goddaughter, Valerie Williams. She has a host of other nieces, nephews, and other close relatives and friends that she loved dearly.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, January 4th at Aldersgate United
Methodist Church in Jackson, Mississippi.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 655 Beasley Road in Jackson, MS 39206 or Dr. Emma Brooks-Smith Scholarship Endowment at Wiley University in Marshall, Texas to donate makes checks payable to:
Wiley University and notate on the memo line: Dr. Emma Brooks-Smith and mail to:
Wiley University Office of Institutional Advancement, 711 Wiley Avenue, Marshall,
Texas 75670). You can contribute digitally at wileyc.edu/ donate (select in memory of Dr. EmmaBrooksSmith or you can utilize Cash App: $Wileycashier).
