Brockman, Lois, 1909-2002
Preliminary Biographical Note
[Source: Lois Brockman Obituary via Legacy at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/lois-brockman-obituary?id=28264206, accessed January 2024]
"Lois Rozelle Brockman was born on May 10, 1909 to Robert and Edith Brockman. She grew up in Atchison, Kansas and at age 12 moved with her family to Wichita Kansas where she would attend high school and later Friends University. After college, she taught middle school. During the 1930s and early 40s she was a surveyor, traveling across the country and distributing surveys and questionnaires on a variety of topics. During World War II she was trained as a welder, performing quality checks with x-rays on airplane parts.
After the war, she worked as a typist in records and as a secretary for several physicians, including Dr. H. Harlan Crank at the Menninger Clinic. She would move to Houston in 1950 when Dr. Crank relocated his practice there. She was his clinical secretary until 1969. Later she would work at the old Jeff Davis Hospital in medical records and for a short time at Ben Taub Hospital.
When her last job at the Thomas Street Clinic ended, she would continue to do volunteer work there well into her 80s. During her life she championed those in the community who were disenfranchised and worked for civil rights, helping to integrate the cafeteria at the YWCA when she was appointed to the board. Along with Walter Whitson, she was one of the early founders of Live Oak Friends Meeting in Houston. As one of several Quaker volunteers, working along Jan de Hartog, author of The Hospital, she helped bring about change at the old Jeff Davis Hospital, and led to the creation of the Harris County Hospital District. She died on December 25, 2002 at age 93."