Rhonda Deanne Brooks

Rhonda Deanne Brooks, 65, of Hamburg, went to be with our Lord and Savior on Thursday, July 9, 2026 at the Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff. She was surrounded by her loving family and the sounds of songs by the Hoppers and Gaithers. Rhonda was born December 14, 1960 in Pine Bluff; a resident of Hamburg for the past 15 months and a former resident of DeWitt and Monticello. After graduating from DeWitt High School in 1979, Rhonda earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Arkansas at Monticello in 1983. She dedicated 17 years to teaching kindergarten at Portland Elementary and in the Hamburg School District, where she touched the lives of countless children and families. Rhonda was a devoted member of the Whitehorse Cowboy Church. Her greatest desire was for others to know Jesus and love the Lord as deeply as she did. She faithfully shared His love in countless ways—through thoughtful gifts made with love, warm home-cooked meals, and special sweet treats prepared for family, friends, and anyone in need. One of Rhonda's greatest gifts was her remarkable sense of humor. She loved telling jokes and stories, knowing they would bring smiles and laughter to those around her. She treasured every moment spent with family and friends and never hesitated to lend a helping hand to someone in need. Rhonda loved her family and friends deeply and unconditionally. She was a bright light with a beautiful spirit, kind heart, and genuine love for others. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, daughter, sister, and friend. She also had a delightfully sassy side—you never quite knew what she was going to say next, and that was part of what made her so unforgettable. If she could leave one final message, it might be this: don't tell her jokes if you're going to mess them up! Instead, celebrate with her, knowing she has been called to her glorious heavenly home. And if you listen closely with your heart, you just might hear her sweet, familiar voice saying, "Helleeerrrrr."

She is preceded in death by her infant son, Benjamin Charles Brooks; her father, Boyce Cope; her mother and step-father, Barbara Jones Raines and Charles Raines; her grandparents, Claude & Cloma Cope; her grandmother, Miriam Ridgway; her father and mother-in-law, H.S. & Lula Lee Howie Brooks and her brother-in-law, Joe Miller.

She is survived by her husband of almost 44 years, Sanders Brooks of Hamburg; her chosen daughter, Karen Forrester of Monticello; two sisters, Sherry Denise Miller of DeWitt and Lorie Hancock and her husband, Danny, of Beebe; her chosen sister, Sherry ONeill of Monticello; her brother-in-law, Don Brooks and his wife, Kathryn, of Cabot; her aunt and uncles, Joann & Wayne Jones, Jack Steinberg; her nieces and nephews, Kaylor Murphy (Dylan Gray), Stephanie Murphy (Kyle Boileau), Rachel Edmondson (Curtis), Rebecca Ausbrooks (Jody), D.J.Brooks, Joe Brooks, Megan Bateman and Grace Brooks and many cousins, special family and friends.

  A funeral service will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 11, 2026 in the Jones-Hartshorn Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Donny Harget officiating. Burial will be in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Pallbearers are Jody Ausbrooks, Danny Hancock, Franklin Ricks, J.T. Warren, Dennis Gregory and Dale Reynolds. Honorary pallbearers are Glynn Summers, Donnie Strebeck, Buddy Kinney and Scott Sasser.  Memorials may be made to the Whitehorse Cowboy Church, c/o Special Offering Fund, PO Box 397, Crossett, AR  71635. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Jones-Hartshorn Funeral Home of Hamburg, Arkansas. Online guestbook, www.jones-hartshorn.com

Visitation will be 6 -8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.