Obituary for Bobbie Miller (Brooks)
Miller, Bobbie (nee Brooks)
The world lost a great woman on May 8, 2020, when Bobbie Ann Brooks McHarge Miller, with her rosary in her hand, passed away peacefully at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Illinois. Bobbie’s unconditional love lives on in her surviving children, Katherine (Richard) Johnson, Susan Grimes (Ronald Robles, predeceased), and Christopher McHarge. One of her greatest loves in recent years was talking, visiting, or Snapchatting her grandkids: Caitlyn, Erin, and Quinn McHarge; Tony Repple, Richard Johnson; Anthony, Rebecca, and Kaleb Repple. Her other great love was her cat, Eddie, who was always by her side. A woman of exceptional strength, courage, and conviction, Bobbie Ann Brooks was born July 3, 1936 in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was the second youngest of seven born to James Bryant Brooks and Reba Katherine Hamilton. Bobbie was the last of her generation, predeceased by her four sisters and two brothers: Gladys Inez Barr; Mary Katherine Hosford; Herman Hamilton Brooks; James Clarence Brooks; Nada Pearl Grimes; and Billie Jo Brooks. Bobbie had a loving, compassionate, and charitable heart, which extended to her countless nieces and nephews. In his recent Mother’s Day homily, nephew Deacon Dan Hosford (St. Therese, Clinton, TN) had this to say about his Aunt Bobbie: “She was the keeper of all things family, the sharer of all things holy… She was the first to call or show up when trouble rose in our lives, the first to set a plate, the first to offer prayer, and she was the first to laugh.” Bobbie led an extraordinary life. After graduating from Knoxville Catholic High School, she enlisted in the United States Women’s Army Corp. Honorably discharged in 1956 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Bobbie became a nurse and married her childhood sweetheart, William Paul McHarge. Over the years they lived in Tennessee, Florida, and Illinois. She lost her first husband in 1971 to cancer. In 1972, she met and remarried Joseph William Miller from Hamilton, Ontario, relocating to Canada. They shared many great years together until Joe passed away from cancer in 1997. Bobbie lived in Hamilton for over forty years. She was active in her church, Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, where she served as Lector, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, and as a regular leader of the weekly Rosary. Bobbie also served two terms as President of her Catholic Women’s League. She was a proud member of the Hamilton Mountain NDP Riding Association. Bobbie’s love spanned two countries, and she eventually returned to the Chicago area in 2015 to be near her daughters. Not long after, her son joined her there to help out in her golden years. According to those who knew her well, Bobbie will be missed for her kindness and generosity of spirit. But she will be remembered for doing anything to support her family and friends, and we are all the richer for it. In lieu of flowers donations to the charity of your choice would be appreciated.
The world lost a great woman on May 8, 2020, when Bobbie Ann Brooks McHarge Miller, with her rosary in her hand, passed away peacefully at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Illinois. Bobbie’s unconditional love lives on in her surviving children, Katherine (Richard) Johnson, Susan Grimes (Ronald Robles, predeceased), and Christopher McHarge. One of her greatest loves in recent years was talking, visiting, or Snapchatting her grandkids: Caitlyn, Erin, and Quinn McHarge; Tony Repple, Richard Johnson; Anthony, Rebecca, and Kaleb Repple. Her other great love was her cat, Eddie, who was always by her side. A woman of exceptional strength, courage, and conviction, Bobbie Ann Brooks was born July 3, 1936 in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was the second youngest of seven born to James Bryant Brooks and Reba Katherine Hamilton. Bobbie was the last of her generation, predeceased by her four sisters and two brothers: Gladys Inez Barr; Mary Katherine Hosford; Herman Hamilton Brooks; James Clarence Brooks; Nada Pearl Grimes; and Billie Jo Brooks. Bobbie had a loving, compassionate, and charitable heart, which extended to her countless nieces and nephews. In his recent Mother’s Day homily, nephew Deacon Dan Hosford (St. Therese, Clinton, TN) had this to say about his Aunt Bobbie: “She was the keeper of all things family, the sharer of all things holy… She was the first to call or show up when trouble rose in our lives, the first to set a plate, the first to offer prayer, and she was the first to laugh.” Bobbie led an extraordinary life. After graduating from Knoxville Catholic High School, she enlisted in the United States Women’s Army Corp. Honorably discharged in 1956 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Bobbie became a nurse and married her childhood sweetheart, William Paul McHarge. Over the years they lived in Tennessee, Florida, and Illinois. She lost her first husband in 1971 to cancer. In 1972, she met and remarried Joseph William Miller from Hamilton, Ontario, relocating to Canada. They shared many great years together until Joe passed away from cancer in 1997. Bobbie lived in Hamilton for over forty years. She was active in her church, Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, where she served as Lector, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, and as a regular leader of the weekly Rosary. Bobbie also served two terms as President of her Catholic Women’s League. She was a proud member of the Hamilton Mountain NDP Riding Association. Bobbie’s love spanned two countries, and she eventually returned to the Chicago area in 2015 to be near her daughters. Not long after, her son joined her there to help out in her golden years. According to those who knew her well, Bobbie will be missed for her kindness and generosity of spirit. But she will be remembered for doing anything to support her family and friends, and we are all the richer for it. In lieu of flowers donations to the charity of your choice would be appreciated.