Margaret R. (Meeker) Brooke
10/17/1940 - 08/06/2026
Margaret R. (Meeker) Brooke, 85, passed away on August 6, 2026. Margie was born to Albert and Dorothy Meeker on the family farm in Delaware County, Ohio on October 17, 1940. She graduated from Big Walnut High School in 1958 and enrolled in the Mount Carmel Hospital School of Nursing in Columbus. She earned her RN certificate in 1961 and went to work at The Ohio State University Hospital.
While Margie was in Nursing School she met and later married (1961) Dana Brooke, a student at OSU. A son, Richard, was born to them in 1963 while Dana was still a student. In 1964, they moved to Buffalo, NY where Dana was pursuing a graduate degree at the State University of NY at Buffalo. Dana finished his studies in 1968 and moved his family to Evansville, IN where he landed a job at Mead Johnson & Co. A second son (Christopher) was born in Evansville in that same year. Margie was a housewife during their 43 years in Evansville.
In 1984, Margie completed her Bachelor of Liberal Studies at the University of Evansville. In 1988 Margie, a member of Church Women United, became convinced that she could help with the burgeoning homeless situation in Evansville. She instigated and became a major founder of the Evansville Coalition for the Homeless (ECHO). In 1990 she helped to establish a free clinic (the ECHO Health Center) open every Wednesday afternoon for the medically indigent and staffed by volunteer physicians. She was a volunteer for years afterward.
In 1991, Margie was awarded "Citizen of the Year" award by the Indiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. In 1992, Church Women United gave Margie their Valiant Woman Award. In 1994 Margie was named Volunteer of the Year by the United Way for her work with ECHO. Margie has been a DAR member for many years and in 2000 she was awarded their DAR Community Service award for her work.
In 2012, Margie and Dana decided to move to Louisville, KY to be nearer to son Richard and his family, granddaughter Roxanne and grandson Ryan. Since then Margie and Dana have been living a pleasant but quiet life in Louisville.
Condolences (1)
Diane Cordial
Margie was a dear classmate at Mt. Carmel. She was always kind and friendly to patients, sociable
with her classmates. She was liked by all! I am in awe of the many ways Margie contributed to
society. Hers was a life well lived. Thank you, Margie.