Written by Ben Cox – BrownwoodNews.com would like to offer a ‘tip of our cap’ to a selection of women in town who have made a positive impact on the lives of those around them. Whether by profession, or pastime, these women contribute a rich part to the fabric of Brownwood, and we feel they deserve to have their time in the spotlight. This week’s Leading Lady is Connie Crooks.

 

 

I sat down with Connie and asked her our list of questions that each Leading Lady will be asked, with a few off the cuff questions specifically for her, and here are her responses.

  • What is your current profession/What do you do?

We are a representative payee company. Which means Social Security gives us people’s money that are mentally ill, mentally disabled, elderly, exploited, children where parents can’t be the payee. And once we get that money, we make sure their rent is paid, their utilities are paid, they have grocery and spending money every week. We keep them legal with Social Security cause there’s lots of ways to get illegal with SS, so we keep them legal.

  • What clubs or organizations are you a member of locally?

I am not a member of any club or organization other than church. I am head of the greeters, because I like to talk and greet people. I’m a member of the Huddle, which is just a group of people that works with Pastor Jason and does things with him. And we are over the membership, new members, we take care of them and feed ’em. (Connie’s husband, Bob James Crooks, speaks up and says ‘Hey, she’s got 14 grandkids, theres no time for anything else!’)

  • Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

Amarillo TX, for 36 years. Then Bob rescued me and brought me down here in 1992, it’s been wonderful.

  • Are your parents still around?

Yes, my momma, she’s the only one, she lives in San Saba.

  • What are some of your fondest memories of childhood?

(takes a breath and through tears)

My oldest brother, he was everything to me. He passed away a few years ago but I still think of him as my older brother. Him building toys for us. We didn’t have a lot of money, NOBODY had a lot of money when I was young, and he would build us toys and they were top of the line.

  • Who left a lasting impression upon you that still is with you today?

My Nanny Vaughn, which was my mother’s mother. She was stern, you either liked her or you did NOT like her. You never had to think about what she was thinking because she was gonna tell you. She was blunt, but she loved the Lord fiercely and she loved her family fiercely, and that just stuck with me.

  • What do you hope your legacy will be?

I hope that Genesis gets to be the legacy. (Genesis Area Development, Crook’s business) To continue this because first and foremost it’s a ministry. We get to be a part of getting people off the street and into homes. People that have no food, we get to be a part of getting food back into their mouths.

  • What is one lesson that you would like your grandchildren to take with them into adulthood?

They are receiving the Word of God like it has never been received before, and I just pray that they take that with them into adulthood and just learn from everything they’re getting right now. When you can stay grounded in The Lord, you’re GROUNDED. You can’t be shaken and you’re not moved, you’re grounded. It’s just a good feeling and a good place to be.

  • How has living in Brownwood shaped your life?

I love it! I love it, love it, love it! I do not cuss when I get out on the roads as I did in Amarillo! The only time it’s tough in Brownwood is on Friday night Football night, then there’s traffic jams in Brownwood. I love living in Brownwood, I love the people here. I tell people when I grow up I’m gonna be a greeter at Wal-Mart, that’s what I wanna do because everyone is just so friendly. It’s made an impact on the way I look at people, they’re just awesome here!

And it makes me mad when people call it Deadwood, I’m thinking ‘y’all don’t know the Brownwood I know!’

  • If you could speak to yourself as a High School freshman, what would you say to yourself?

Connie, don’t get married when you’re sixteen! Go to school, stay in school and do what you’re supposed to do! I was a wild rebellious teenager!

  • What is one goal for yourself/family that you haven’t achieved yet?

I don’t have any, right now. I had written down a list of things that I wanted and we looked back at it about two or three months ago, and everything had come to pass on it. The two last things that I really wanted were if someone comes to work for Genesis, they have insurance and retirement, and we have insurance and retirement!  (air high-fives her husband!) So I really haven’t set anything since then.

  • How do you feel you have impacted Brownwood?

We got to open up this business in Brownwood, and we were able to work with people in the area through the Center For Life Resources. So I think this has been the greatest impact we have been able to make on Brownwood is this business.

  • What is one thing you’d like to see for the future of Brownwood?

Probably some more stuff for the kids, I guess. All of mine are grown but my grand-babies now are coming up. And, probably just some more things for them, I understand there’s some stuff in the works, but that’s what I’d like to see is more stuff for the kids.

  • What makes you proud to live in Brownwood?

Everything. (Bob mentions ‘Feels Like Home’) It DOES, isn’t that goofy? I was not a Brownwood Reunion fan at all, they would block these roads, and I couldn’t get to my office, I am screaming mad at these people and I’m moving barriers, but when they talked about Feels Like Home I thought ‘that is so perfect, it just feels like home’!

We have to travel across the state to get to our other offices, and they’re all in big cities, and when we get back to Brownwood it is so quiet and so peaceful. It feels good to get back home to Brownwood!

  • What does it mean to you to be considered one of the “Leading Ladies of Brownwood?”

I am so honored, I am not kidding you a bit! I’m just honored, I am so honored! And my youngest son gave me “knucks”, (holds her fist in the air, motioning a fist-bump) so that was the biggest, I got “knucks” from my baby boy, who’s thirty. I was so honored to be considered.

If you know someone who could use the services of Genesis, contact Connie Crooks at connie@genesisareadevelopment.com