Mary Newheiser Brooks

The family of Mary Newheiser Brooks of Compton, Maryland, is saddened to announce her passing on November 15, 2025, at the Hermitage in Solomons, Maryland at the age of 95 years. Born in December of 1929, in Washington, D.C., Mary was the third of four daughters born to William and Alice Malone Newheiser. She grew up in Southeast D.C., where she graduated from St. Patrick's Catholic High School.

Mary married Sanford Brooks Jr. in October of 1948, and they were happily married for more than 71 years until Sanford's death in May of 2020. They raised their children in Waldorf, Maryland, and moved to St. Mary's County in 1995, where they lived on Combs Creek in Compton, Maryland.

After raising her children, Mary worked as an Administrator at the Clearwater Nature Center and the Mary Surratt House, both in Clinton, Maryland. She enjoyed spending time with Sanford and her large family. Her many hobbies included traveling, reading, volunteer work, decorating, and sewing/quilting. Mary was intelligent with a sharp wit. She was a lifelong learner and embraced technology, especially texting and on-line shopping.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Sanford and her sisters Ethel "Sissy" Eagan and Alice "Buddie" Bannigan Westborg.

She is survived by her six children: Sanford Brooks III (Joan), Patrick Brooks, Frank Brooks (Debbie), Anne Brooks Quinn (Dan), Claire Brooks (Kent Buckham), and Ellen Brooks Marra (Dennis); her sister Margaret Klotz; 15 grandchildren: Sara Kessous (Efi), Alison Brooks (Jeff Morgan); Jesse Brooks (Adrienne), Seth Brooks; Eric Linderman (Joyce), Zack Brooks (Alyson), Collin Brooks (April); Michael Quinn (Melissa), Emily Yelverton (Matthew); Paige Hones (Dan), Devan Hall (Rhianna Trimarchi), Casie Hall (Dylan Gausman); Anthony Marra (Liz), Luke Marra, Jacob Marra; and 19 great-grandchildren: Eve, Eli, Eden, and Emelia Kessous; Maxime Brooks; Arabella and Abigail Linderman; Bennett, Caroline, and Emilia Quinn; Riley, Aiden, Kamdyn, Adalyn, Micah, Ashlyn, and Evelyn Yelverton; Gabriel Hones; Jody Gausman.

The family will receive visitors at Brinsfield Funeral Home in Charlotte Hall, Maryland, Thursday, November 20, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with prayers at 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 21, 11:00 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 21370 Newtowne Neck Rd, Leonardtown, MD 20650, with interment immediately following at St. Mary's Queen of Peace Cemetery in Helen, Maryland.

Donations in Mary's memory can be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake https://www.hospicechesapeake.org/giving/donate-now/, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Donate, or the Alzheimer's Foundation https://www.alz.org/maryland.

Condolences may be made to the family at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.

Arrangements by Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A., Charlotte Hall, MD.

To send a flower arrangement in memory of Mary Newheiser Brooks, please click here to visit our sympathy store.