Joe C. Brooke Family - Family Histories

      Joseph Charles Brooke was born November 4, 1911, one and one half miles southwest of Camp Colorado, the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe R. Brooke (see Joseph G Brooke). Gracie Lee Terry was born May 9, 1915, four miles south of De Leon, in Comanche County. She was the fourth child of Oscar H. and Della Terry (see Oscar Hill Terry). Joe C. and Gracie met for the first time in 1933. They were both working at a thresher. Joe C. was running a bundle wagon and Gracie was carrying water to the work hands. He told a friend that was the girl he was going to marry. They dated for three years and were married November 21, 1936, by Bro. Collin Webb, who was then the pastor of Camp Colorado Baptist Church.

     The first year Joe C. and Gracie were married, he was bitten by a rattlesnake. He was seriously ill for thirteen days. They lived on the J. R. Brooke farm a year. While living there, their first child, Johnnie Ray, was born December 15, 1937. Later, they moved to Echo and made several more moves before they finally bought a place of their own. Joe C. worked at Camp Bowie in Brownwood while it was being built in 1940. In 1941, he went to work for a rancher for $22.50 a month. Times were still hard from the Depression. On March 14, 1942, their second child was born, a daughter, Charlie Lee. Then, they had their third child, Billie Elaine, April 22, 1944.

     In 1945, the Brooke's moved back to the Brooke farm and started milking cows by hand and selling milk to the Cheese Factory. They lived there two years. In 1947, Joe C. and Gracie bought the place where they are living now (1983). It is located one mile east of the old Eureka Church. In 1948, they received electricity and were able to put in a Grade A Dairy. They ran the dairy until 1961 and sold out. Joe C. and Gracie went back into the dairy business in 1963 and ran it until 1971 and sold out again. All in all they were in the dairy business for 25 years. Joe C. is now farming, ranching, and running an oil lease.

     The Brooke's children went to school at Buffalo in Coleman County until it was consolidated with Bangs in Brown County. All three of their children graduated from Bangs High School. Joe C. and Gracie also have five grandchildren who have graduated from Bangs High School. Joe C. and Gracie's children are all married and have families of their own. Johnnie Ray married Elizabeth (Libby) Graves (see Lancaster Family). They have four children, Sheila, Brent, Becke, and Shelley, one son-in-law, Mark Newton, and two grandchildren, Cody and Chad Newton. Charlie Lee married Bill Richardson and they have three children, Ramona, Dwayne, and Shannon, a son-in-law, Ray Lowe, a daughter-in-law, Nita (Evans) Richardson, and one grandchild, Nathan Lowe. Billie Elaine married Gary Sparks and they have two children, Terri and Michelle.

     Joe C. and Gracie recently had a terrible experience. On June 19, 1982, at 5:45 a.m. a tornado touched down, damaging all their out buildings and barns. Their garden and orchard were destroyed, most of the trees around the house were pulled up by the roots, the roof of the house destroyed by hail, and some screens lost off of the house, but the house was saved.

     Joe C. and Johnnie Ray own part of the old Brooke place that was bought by Joe C.'s grandfather in 1879.