Shirley Brooks-Jones
Brooks-Jones' The Order of Newfoundland and Labrador medal
If you spend enough time talking with Upper Arlington resident Shirley Brooks-Jones, one story quickly becomes another. She may tell you about the time she traded anecdotes with Archbishop Desmond Tutu over dinner, or when she met Neil Armstrong, who turned out to be just as shy as she was. Perhaps she’ll even tell you about casually conversing with the future King Charles III after receiving the medal of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. To her, though, none of those stories were ever about the famous names – they were always about the people.
That perspective has guided Brooks-Jones throughout her life – rooted in genuine curiosity, compassion and the belief that every person brings something valuable to the table. It’s also the reason why one unexpected detour 25 years ago became one of the most defining moments of her life.
Before the headlines
Ray LaVoie
Long before you could find her name in any headlines, Brooks-Jones was born in Vinton County as the oldest of nine children. She had four brothers and four sisters and spent her early years split between southeastern Ohio and Columbus as her family relocated for work. Though money was scarce, she fondly remembers spending her childhood with neighbors – people of all walks of life who shared their meals, traditions and stories, teaching her the value of connection.
“What I’ve learned is to just be yourself. People are all fascinating in their own ways. I love meeting others and learning more about them, and no matter how famous, a lot of them are just like me down below,” Brooks-Jones says. “I found that people usually are open to talking if you’re truly interested, so I don’t try to put on any pretenses. I just am who I am.”
After graduating from McArthur High School in 1954, Brooks-Jones came back to Columbus and took an administrative position at The Ohio State University’s College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. Evolving from typing and taking shorthand to overseeing budgeting, long-range planning and fundraising, her role at OSU spanned more than 34 years. She retired with specially-granted Emeritus status before going on to achieve another lifelong goal: earning a college degree of her own.
“I always loved being a student. I missed it. I wanted to learn,” she says. “I majored in English literature and minored in art history. It was a challenge, but something I really wanted to do. It was an exciting experience to finally achieve that dream.”
In her retirement, Brooks-Jones married her late husband, Ron, with whom she spent many happy years. She also devoted much of her time to volunteering through People-to-People International, a program established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to foster global understanding and friendship. It was then, while flying back from a People-to-People board meeting in Denmark on September 11, 2001, that her trip took an unexpected turn – one that would leave a lasting imprint on her life forever.
Generosity knows no borders
Shirley Brooks-Jones
Shirley Brooks-Jones
Brooks-Jones was named the first honorary graduate of Lewisporte Collegiate in 2005.
About four hours into her flight, Brooks-Jones’ plane was suddenly diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, along with dozens of other aircraft following the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States. Unaware of the situation, she and 200-some fellow passengers remained aboard for 28 hours before being bussed to the small town of Lewisporte, where residents opened churches, schools, community centers and their own homes to thousands of stranded travelers.
“It was amazing what the people of Lewisporte did to help us,” she says. “The thought they gave to people they’d never met and would probably never meet again, it was incredible. They really cared.”
The Columbus Foundation
Brooks-Jones has made many public speeches about her experience since 2001.
Among those strangers were Bill and Thelma Hooper, whom Brooks-Jones refers to as her fifth brother and fifth sister. More than three decades later, the three still speak every week – just one of the many lasting friendships that came from her five-day detour.
While that experience would go on to inspire books, interviews, countless public appearances and speaking engagements, and even the Tony Award-winning musical Come From Away, Brooks-Jones says its true lasting impact has little to do with recognition and everything to do with the power of compassion.
Leaving Newfoundland with a conviction that generosity has no borders, Brooks-Jones wanted to ensure that the kindness shown to the “plane people” would never be forgotten. On the flight back home, she helped establish the Lewisporte Area Flight 15 Scholarship – an enduring expression of gratitude which, supported by The Columbus Foundation and the Rotary Club of Columbus, has helped 461 graduates of Lewisporte Collegiate and counting.
“I insisted we not limit the number of recipients per year, because those people didn’t limit their help to us,” says Brooks-Jones. “Watching the scholarship grow, my heart has just burst with pride.”
Shirley Brooks-Jones
The ripple effect
Ray LaVoie
While the scholarship was inspired by Newfoundland, Brooks-Jones' belief in paying it forward began much earlier – something that’s since come full circle.
As a child, she struggled to see the blackboard at school. When her family couldn’t afford glasses, the local Lions Club stepped in to help. Years later, after arriving in Lewisporte, she was assigned to stay at none other than the town’s Lions Club center.
“Tears started coming down my cheeks, and the woman walking next to me said ‘What’s wrong?’” says Brooks-Jones. “I just said ‘The Lions are still taking care of me.’”
When she arrived home, the Tri-Village Lions were the first to invite her to speak about her journey, and she remains a member of the club today. She says it’s moments like this that motivate her to never stop giving.
“The feeling I get from helping people, no one could pay me enough money to take that away,” she says. “Throughout my life, there was always someone who stepped forward to encourage me, even when I had no confidence in myself. So if I can do that for other people, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Shirley Brooks-Jones
Ella Jay is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at ejay@cityscenemediagroup.com.
