Cathern Agatha (Herndon) Brooks beloved wife of James Walter Brooks (deceased), passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, June 5th, 2025.
Cathern (Cathy) was born in Lansing Michigan on May 21st, 1933 and raised in Coral Gables, Florida where she met her sweetheart, Jim and married him, June 18, 1953. They had their first two daughters in Florida before being transferred to Orange County, California where she was a devoted military housewife raising six children while her husband was serving with the United States Marine Corps. Cathy’s hobbies included, sewing, quilting, painting, and gardening.
Once her husband retired from the military, they moved their family to Cottage Grove, Oregon 1974. Cathy went back to school at Lane Community College to become an R.N. and graduated June 7th, 1985.
Cathern is survived by one sibling, Mary-Ellen (Herndon) O’Neill, five of her six children, Catherine, Sue (deceased), Terry, Mike, Mary and Patty. Cathern had sixteen grandchildren, (one deceased) and fourteen Great Grandchildren (one deceased) and one Great-Great Grandchild. Cathern was very active in and with her Catholic church. Her Faith took her and her husband on many Catholic Pilgrimages around the world. She was a practicing Discalced Carmelite Secular where she deepened her Spiritual life.
The viewing will occur at 9:45am followed by a rosary that will be prayed at 10:45am. The funeral Mass will begin at 11:00am and all will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, located at 1025 N. 19th Street, Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424, on Saturday, June 28th, 2025. A reception will occur after Mass, in the Parish Hall.
Her internment will follow the Funeral Mass and reception, at Mount Calvary Cemetery, located at 220 Crest Drive, Eugene, Oregon, 97405.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to (OLPH) Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 1025 N. 19th Street, Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424, for “The Mission of the Church” or to “Carmelite House of Studies” mail to: 300 Humpert Lane, NE, PO Box 260, Mount Angel, Oregon 97362 (In Memory of Cathy Brooks) or to OLPH for Masses to be said for Jim and Cathy Brooks.
Arrangements are in the care of Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel.
