Geraldine Margaret Brooks, who celebrated her 100th birthday earlier this month, has been a Moorestown resident for 60 years.
Geraldine Margaret Brooks celebrated a major milestone with her family and friends at the Pennsauken Country Club earlier this month: her centennial.
She’s been a Moorestown resident for more than 60 years, and while she’s seen many changes in the town and her neighborhood, she considers herself blessed to call the township home.
Brooks moved to the township from Philadelphia in 1962, when she built her house from the ground up. She was a single mother before marrying her late husband, William, in 1967. He was a prominent figure at the former West End Community Center.
Brooks made sure music was a staple when her four children – daughters Pegie, Barbara and Carol and son John – were young, something that made beautiful memories.
“We all enjoyed the Motown music, and she would have music going while we cleaned the house, and I remember just having a fun time,” Carol recalled. “We enjoyed singing and partying together … We really enjoyed singing and dancing.”
Brooks is the oldest of six siblings, all of whom have passed away except for one sister. Along with music, she enjoys traveling, going to church, playing rummikub and shopping.
As a child, Brooks loved to learn. She excelled in academics at Bartram High School in Philadelphia and after graduation, worked at the Navy Yard for three years. Brooks was also a cashier for SEPTA for more than 30 years before retiring in 1990, but she’s also had several other jobs.
“I’ve had a good life,” she acknowledged. “I can’t complain. I wasn’t held back because I was aggressive, and I made sure that my children had what they were supposed to have at my expense … All parents want their children to do better than they did. That’s the bottom line.”
Brooks has been on 23 cruises and traveled all over the world, and she loves socializing with her friends and neighbors. You may also see her occasionally driving around town. Since she was young, she’s made her own decisions, allowing her to be independent.
But Brooks has learned enough to know better, and she’s still learning now.
“Make the most of every day and do what you’re supposed to do, whatever that is,” she advised. “Once a task is first begun, never leave it ‘til it’s done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all.”
