Katie Frances (Rodina) Brooks, a seventh-grade English teacher at TMS, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, after a sudden, brief illness, her obituary read.

A celebration of life will be 1-3 p.m. this Saturday at Cornerstone Family Worship, 205 U.S. Highway 24-40 in Tonganoxie.

The door to Brooks’ room at TMS became covered with sticky notes and other passages last week.

Roses and other mementos could be seen on the floor near her door. Some larger messages were quotes from unknown authors, such as “The world changes form year to year, our lives from day to day but the love and memory of you, shall never pass away.” Another anonymous passage read “The skies look beautiful every day because Heaven cannot contain the Beauty that you Radiate.” Below it read “We will miss you Mrs. Brooks.”

Brooks was 45.

She was born June 12, 1978, in Kansas City, Kan., and earned a Bachelor’s in English from Park College. She then obtained her teaching certificate while working in the Kansas City, Kansas school district and later earned a Master’s in teaching from Pittsburg State University along with a post Master’s certificate in as a reading specialist, according to her obituary.

Her latest position was as seventh grade English teacher at TMS.

She married Billy Brooks on July 10, 2010, and had another gig besides teaching — lead singer and frontman for the band Phyllis Killer.

A gofundme page has been established to benefit her husband, Billy, and son, Carter. Donations can be made at gofund.me/3f1c998e. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were nearly 140 donations totaling $12,660. The page’s goal is $20,000.

To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Katie Frances Brooks, there’s a Sympathy Store button in her obituary at quisenberryfh.com/obituary/katie-brooks.