Obituary of Margaret L. Brooks

Margaret L. “Peggy” Brooks (née Prince), 82 years, of Stratford NJ, passed away peacefully in the presence of her family early in the morning of Sunday, June 5, 2022. Daughter of the late Howard and Elizabeth (née Burtis) Prince. Beloved wife of Dr. Thomas P. Brooks. Loving mother of Diana Brooks, Kristine Zoppina (Russell), T. Gregory Brooks (Eileen), Matthew Brooks (Megan) and Megan Brooks. Dear sister of Howard (Beverly) Prince and Arlene Kramke (Kurt). Cherished grandmother of Kaysie Anderson, Jonathan Zoppina (Mary), Perri Anderson, Joshua Zoppina, Jacob Zoppina, Clayton Brooks, Bennett Brooks and Kathryn Brooks. Also survived by her sorority sisters Ramona Diano and Harriet Monshaw.

She graduated from Gloucester City High School in 1958 in the top ten of her class.  Her beauty and pleasant personality were recognized when during her Junior year she was selected as Miss Gloucester.  In her Senior year she was elected Prom Queen.  During her high school career, she played varsity Field Hockey and Basketball.  Her Field Hockey team was an outstanding group winning the league championship her Senior year with an undefeated season.  That team was later selected as one of the inaugural teams to be entered into the Courier-Post Field Hockey Hall of Fame.

She attended Temple University in Philadelphia for two years and, eventually, graduated from Glassboro State College, now Rowan University.  At Temple she joined the Delta Zeta Sorority developing lifelong friendships there.

She began her teaching career at Runnemede Public Schools and coached the Field Hockey team.  Her team was admired by other coaches as disciplined and well coached in the fundamentals of the game.  She taught also in Lindenwold and Camden Schools.  She developed the first Kindergarten program at St. Theresa’s Catholic School in Runnemede.  She was greatly beloved by her students in all of her assignments.

Beyond her professional teaching career, she was a Sunday School teacher and served as the Sunday School Program Coordinator at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.  She was an active member of the Women’s Club of Stratford developing creative and original programs for the Club.  She was twice elected president of that organization.  She was especially proud of her membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).  Her family traces back to a patriot from the Revolution who helped blockade the Delaware River preventing the English ships from attacking Philadelphia.  Another branch of her family traces back to New Amsterdam (now New York) emigrating there in 1636. 

She was devoted to her five children and was always their cheer leader and total supporter whatever the activity might be.  With all the sports they played, she was in the bleachers cheering all of them on.  She was always the champion of the underdog.  She accidently became the interim coach of two of her children’s soccer team when, comically, her husband and son-in-law, the proper coaches, were ejected from a game for arguing with the referee.   She directed a Brownie Troup and served as activity chair for the Cub Scouts.

Professionally and personally, she was interested in reading.  She was an avid reader herself and loved to teach reading to her classes.  She loved studying history and was fascinated with the British, especially with the Royalty. 

She can truly be said to have led a full, complete, productive and happy life.  She was greatly loved and admired and will be sorely missed by her family and by those who knew her well.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Monday evening from 6:00PM to 8:00PM at the DANKS-HINSKI FUNERAL HOME, 125 N. WHITE HORSE PIKE, LINDENWOLD NJ 08021 and Tuesday morning from 9:00AM to 10:00AM at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 201 Warwick Road, Magnolia NJ. Funeral service 10:00AM. Interment to follow in Bethel Cemetery, Pennsauken NJ. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library at 111 E Main St 2nd Floor, Sevierville TN 37862 would be appreciated. To leave lasting condolences or photos, please use the links on this page.