On October 28, 2020, Emma (Pat) Patton Brookshire, age 83, of Wichita, Kansas, formerly of Ulysses, Kansas, grabbed her mug of coffee with just the right amount of half and half along with a mug of ice water. She hitched the dually pickup to the fifth wheel camper and drove up to the glorious campsite in the sky. 

Once there she was met by her husband, Richard V. (Dick) Brookshire whom she married on June 6, 1954. They set the fifth wheel up for a Welcome Home fish fry.  A jug of sun tea was set by the step. She unthawed a mess of fish and made hush puppies for Dick to fry up. They invited their neighbors, friends, and family to celebrate her arrival at the campsite. When it got dark they tuned up the radio and had a dance. 

Emma, born on March 27, 1937, is putting up fresh produce and baking bread for the other campers. That is when she isn’t fishing with Dick or sewing on a project. 

Emma was a member of the Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, a Superintendent of Foods for the Grant County Fair, and in 2017 was Friend of the Grant County Fair. Emma enjoyed fishing, camping, gardening and canning. Her biggest joy was spending time with kids and grandkids and being involved in all their activities.

Emma left behind a bunch of family who will pass on her stories, her recipes, and her green thumb. Son, Ronnie Brookshire and wife Nancy of Woodward, Oklahoma; daughters, Debbie Rundell and husband Lyle of Wichita, Kansas, and Becky Wright and husband Steven of Garden City, Kansas; ten grandchildren, Trisha Rundell, and Jason Rundell-Little, Brice Martin, Amber Mitchell, Kristy Begshaw, Kelly Leach, Morgan Swiger, Robby Brookshire, Darrell Lookingbill, and Dustin Lookingbill; and 17 great-grandchildren, Gabriel Little, and Marshall Rundell-Little, Hartey and Aubry Mitchell, Madison, Fisher, Brody, and Baxter Begshaw, Kayten Flanagan, Kolbie Leach, Brook and Breahna Martin, Holly Kirby, Ethan and Sydnie Lookingbill. 

A celebration of life will be Saturday, October 31, 2020, at 2:00 PM at the Ulysses Cemetery in Ulysses, Kansas. Social distancing practices will be observed. Service may also be viewed on Garnand Funeral Home Facebook Live. Visitation will be Friday, October 30, 2020, from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Garnand Funeral Home, Ulysses, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be given to Parkinson’s Foundation or Interim Health Care, Home Care, and Hospice of Wichita in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave., Ulysses, Kansas 67880. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.