William Leonhard Brooks Sr., 68, died peacefully surrounded by his family at Duke University Medical Center after an extended illness Feb. 14.

Mr. Brooks was born in Trenton, N.J., on April 18, 1940 and moved as a young boy to Durham, where he graduated from Durham High School. He attended N.C. State University and served in the United States Navy as an electrical engineer.

He spent most of his life as an electrical contractor in the Wake, Durham, Orange and Chatham counties culminating in owning his own company, WLB Electric of Chapel Hill. His passion was his love for trains, marked by thousands of hours of service and joy at The North Carolina Railroad Museum.

He is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Ann Stallings Brooks of Chapel Hill. He is also survived by four children, one son, William Leonhard Brooks, Jr., wife, Susan of Durham; three daughters, Denise Barbee Medlin (Ricky), of Oxford, Pamela Barbee Wyatt (Joe) of Pittsboro, and Patti Marie Sewell (Michael) of Pittsboro. He leaves behind nine grandchildren, Teresa Anne, Leanna Michelle, Joseph Allen, James Austin, Tyler Jordan, Mercedes Elaine, Kali Victoria, William Leonhard, III and Cameron Patrick; and one sister, Anne Brooks Roux, and a niece, Katherine Roux Adams both of Raleigh.

A private memorial and burial service will take place at a later time. Memorial contributions may be made to the N.C. Railroad Museum, P.O. Box 40, New Hill, NC 27562.

Elizabeth A. Newton

Elizabeth A. Newton, 91, died Feb. 5 at her Carolina Meadows residence in Chapel Hill.

Born on March 13, 1917 in New Brunswick, Canada, she graduated from Northfield/Mt. Herman in Massachusetts, attended UNC Greensboro and art school in New York City. She worked for Life Magazine and married Charles Francis Schroeder in 1939. They raised three children in New Jersey where Betty was an administrative assistant in a bank, member of the Junior League, driver for the Red Cross and president of the local garden club in Madison, N.J.

After divorcing, Betty moved to Charlotte, where longtime friend Bill Newton proposed marriage and life in Dorset, Vermont. They traveled extensively adding to her total of 40-plus countries explored. She resumed her art, creating colored pencil drawings of her beloved flowers along with her much admired gardens in Dorset.

After Bill died, Betty met Henry Allpress. They enjoyed many years together traveling abroad as well as between her home in Vermont then North Carolina and his in Maryland. Betty moved to Carolina Meadows in 2000 settling in continuing to read, draw and appreciate gardening in new ways. Macular degeneration claimed her eyesight robbing her of these pleasures but never of her humor.

She died peacefully surrounded by family and her dedicated caregivers. She is survived by her children: Susan Livera of Bowie, Md.; CF "Chuck" Schroeder II and Shannon Dancy both of Chapel Hill; three grandchildren, two great grandchildren and her brother, David, of Bennington, Vt., and his three.

Walker Funeral Home in Chapel Hill handled arrangements for cremation. Donation in Betty's name would be welcomed at the North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation and the North Carolina Division of Services for the Blind. A celebration of her life was held at Carolina Meadows on Valentine's Day.

Helen Tamara Cohen

Helen Tamara Cohen, 87, a resident of Meadowland Drive in Hillsborough, died Tuesday in UNC Hospitals.

Born Sept. 21, 1921 in Bronx, N.Y., Helen was the daughter of the late Abraham and Lena Weidenbaum Cohen.She was retired from the New York City school system, where she worked as a secretary.She moved to Chapel Hill in 2001, residing in the Alterra-Wynwood Assisted Living Center until 2007 when she became a resident of Brookshire Nursing Center in Hillsborough.

Surviving are her sister, Estelle Dubow of Chapel Hill; three nieces, Michelle Dubow of Durham, Jennifer Dubow of Chapel Hill, and Holly Dubow Martin of Burlington, Mass.; and two great-nieces, Alison Martin and Kara Martin.

A graveside funeral service was conducted Thursday in Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery, Rabbi Jessica Martin officiating.

The family requests memorials be made to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018

Howerton & Bryan Funeral Home in Durham assisted the Cohen family.

Rosamond Putzel

Rosamond Putzel was born April 16, 1926, in Salisbury, N.C., to Charles Lewis Putzel and Ellinor Ramsay Putzel and died Feb. 25 in Chapel Hill.

She was predeceased by her parents and brothers, James Hill Ramsay Putzel and Dr. Charles Lewis Putzel, IL.

A gifted student, she was a graduate of Salem College in Winston-Salem and UNC, where she earned her Ph.D., in English. She later earned graduate degrees in both mathematics and library science. She was professor of English at UNC-Greensboro and later, the University of Detroit. In the 1980s she became Academic Librarian at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa., and ended her career as Archival Librarian at Rutgers University, Camden, N.J.

"Rosie" to her family and friends, she possessed a dry, but ready sense of humor, which she exercised often. She loved learning and in a battle of wits, was better armed than most. Enjoying any mental challenge, she was fond of daily crossword and sudoku puzzles. She was an avid reader, with a penchant for both poetry and mystery novels.

Retiring in 1989, she returned to Chapel Hill and made her home at the Carol Woods Retirement Community. During her retirement, she traveled extensively and volunteered often in the community. She is survived by her sister, Mrs. H.T. Goldman, Jr. (Mary Putzel), of Waterproof and New Orleans, La., her canine companion of many years, Sam Too, and many nieces and nephews who will miss her greatly. A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 14, at Carol Woods. Gifts in memoriam may be made to the Carol Woods Charitable Fund, 750 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.

Please send obituaries and photographs to chnclerk@nando.com.