About Brooke
Although our child has many nicknames, one thing for certain is that she had a personality larger than life with an unstoppable spirit. She was a very special girl who truly loved life.
Brooke Elizabeth Dawkins came into our lives on August 14, 1994. With her typical one-upmanship of her big brother, Brody, she spent three days in the neo-natal ward. In addition to her older brother Brody, Brooke has a baby sister named Brynne. She loved both so dearly. Being our middle child, she provided our family with unlimited love, joy, and laughter.
Brooke loved to fish and ski, so Florida beaches and western U.S. ski slopes were among Brooke’s favorite playgrounds. Her extended family held get-togethers annually in Park City, Utah in the winter and on Anna Maria Island in the summer.
Brooke loved children and children loved Brooke. Her family includes 16 aunts and uncles, 33 cousins (and counting). She was working as a part-time nanny while attending college and shared stories about her adventures that made us smile and laugh.
Brooke's Journey
Since birth, Brooke was raised in a very special “village” called Gatlin Place in the Conway community of Orlando, Fl. These special friends can’t just be called “neighbors” because, over the years, they have become our extended family. They shared in Brooke’s upbringing, and we have enjoyed many dinners, celebrations, and vacations together. Brooke was deeply loved by the Gatlin Place Community “GPC” and knew it. Our unique community outside of GPC, Conway, is a caring little town within a big city where everyone knows your name.
Brooke is a member of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church in Orlando, Fl. She attended religious education classes throughout her primary school years.
Brooke attended Lake Eola Charter School from kindergarten through 8th grade. It was there that she was shaped and nourished into an amazing student. Brooke earned a first-place middle-school award in the Orange County Science Fair and went on to receive honorable mention in the Florida State Science Fair.
Brooke’s education continued on at William R. Boone High School where she served as an editor on the yearbook staff and participated in cheerleading for four years. Boone’s yearbook, The Legend, won many national awards and when Brooke was a senior, her cheerleading squad won the State Cheerleading Championship. She was crowned Homecoming Queen and named Most Unforgettable by her classmates her senior year. No wonder –, Brooke’s deep voice, and hearty laugh gave her away before she entered a room. Her beauty was luminous, bolstered by her inner loveliness, Brooke was kind to friends across the board. Her popularity was well earned, and so were her accomplishments. She was also tapped for National Honor Society and awarded a Bright Futures scholarship.
When Brooke was a young teenager, she often spoke about going to school far away from home. However, Brooke chose the University of Central Florida. Here she continued her strong academic success and was maintaining a 3.8 GPA. She planned to major in advertising so she could fulfill her life-long dream of working for a national magazine. Brooke loved to design and create artistic visions.
Brooke joined Kappa Delta Sorority her freshman year and “bid-day” was one of the happiest days of her life. Brooke considered this sorority because of her family legacy but told us she chose it because she just felt at home with the girls. They were “goofy” like her, she said. In the end, Brooke was right. These sisters are her family and being involved with KD was the best thing she did at UCF.