Barbara Jane Rice Brooks, the second eldest of five children, departed this life on March 16, 2011. She was born on November 11, 1935 in Baltimore, Maryland to the late James H. Rice and the late Ophelia L. Jackson Williams. Barbara grew up in the Waverly Section of East Baltimore, and attended Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. She graduated from Bennett College, a historically black women's School in 1957. On December 15, 1957, she was united in holy matrimony to the late Maxie a. Brooks. from this union, twins Angela and Darrell were born. Barbara worked at City Hospital now Johns Hopkins Bayview in Baltimore, Maryland in the Blood Bank for many years and left there after the birth of her children. She was later employed at St. Agnes Hospital from December, 1976 - January 2007 as a Medical Technologist in the Chemistry Lab. Barbara was well liked and respected in her neighborhood community of Morris Hill. She was very active in her church fellowship at Brooklyn community United Methodist church. She had leadership roles in the United Methodist Women's Group and the Body and Soul Ministry which feeds the less fortunate. Barbara was preceded in death by her devote husband, Maxie. She leaves to rejoice in her memory; a son, Darrell Brooks; a daughter, Angela Brooks; two sisters, Violetta A. Williams and Lavania Fitzpatrick; three brothers, James H. Rice, Michael D. Williams and Donald Rice deceased; two sisters-inlaw, Anne Goodwyn Vintes and Shirley Rice; and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.