Mary Louise Camilla Brooks, 98, of Detroit, Michigan, passed away peacefully in her home on 19 April 2026. Her remarkable life began when she was born on July 18, 1927, in Calumet, Michigan to parents Paul LeChevalier and Marguerite LeChevalier.

Mary graduated high school from St. Mary of Redford in 1945. She enjoyed multiple careers in her lifetime including newspaper delivery as a young girl and starting at 18 years old as a Telegrapher/Office Manager at Western Union. After 42 years of service, she retired from Western Union and began her second career at McDonald’s in Livonia where she climbed the ranks and was honored in 2017 by the corporation with a surprise 90th birthday. The event was well attended by family, friends and the community, and received coverage on the local news station and newspaper.

She enjoyed her weekly bingo nights, watching Perry Mason, the Lone Ranger, Christmas movies and she never missed a Detroit Tigers game. As the matriarch of the family, Mary loved to host holiday gatherings in her home with loved ones and could be found most nights at the dinner table playing cards with family and friends.

Mary met Harry Brooks in 1946 and her sister, Rose, met Harry’s brother, John, the same year. They had a double wedding on 11/8/1947 in Detroit, Michigan where the two LeChevalier sisters married the two Brooks brothers. Together Mary and Harry raised 4 children: Daniel Brooks, Samuel Brooks, Louann Polzin, and Darlene Brooks.

Mary is survived by her children’s spouses Nancy Brooks, Joseph Polzin, her 11 grandchildren, their spouses, and 9 great-grandchildren: Chad Brooks (wife, Samantha, and their son, Harrison), Jason Prichard (wife, Maria, and their son, Anthony), Eric Brooks (wife, Jeannetta, and their children, Oceana and Samuel), Joseph Polzin, Jenny Brooks Faust (husband, Keith, and their children Kynnedi, Lyvia, and Kaiden), Rebecca Cooper (husband, Sean, and their children, Brooklyn and Kenneth), Brandi Clark (husband, Shawn), Jacob Polzin (husband, Mark Mathis), Zachariah Polzin (husband, Joe Headapohl), Garrett Brooks-Filek (wife, Emilee, and their daughter, Lenora), and Madison Brooks-Filek. Mary is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, -nephews and great-great-nieces and -nephews.

She was the 11th of 12 children and was preceded in death by her siblings Margaret, Paul, Julius, Emil, Joseph, Angeline, Anthony, Peter, Rose, Francis, and Lorraine, and by her children’s spouses, Valerie Brooks and Jerry Berndt.

The family has entrusted John Santeiu & Son Funeral Home with the arrangements. A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 9:00am ET at 1139 Inkster Rd, Garden City MI 48135. A reception will follow at DeLuca’s Restaurant, 27424 Warren Rd, Westland, MI 48185. Father Ray Lucasinski will officiate the ceremony.