AUGUSTA SAWYER

Augusta Sawyer was born on April 11, 1932, to Jessie and Matris Morris in San Diego, California. Augusta attended Stockton Elementary School, now known as King Chavis Elementary School. She went on to Memorial Jr. High and graduated from San Diego High School in 1949. While in high school, she met Paul E. Brooks, Sr., an all-star football player for San Diego High. In 1950, Paul and Augusta married and raised two sons, Paul E. Brooks, Jr. and Harold V. Brooks, and later welcomed their daughter, Kym. Immediately following high school, Augusta enrolled in San Diego Community College. The family later moved to Los Angeles, California. 

In 1951, Ms. Augusta began a career in fashion, working as a shipping and receiving clerk at The Adorable Shop in North Park. She quickly advanced to the sales floor and eventually became store manager. These were times before computers or databases existed to track customer information. Ms. Augusta, who was very customer-service-oriented, created and maintained her own customer information book to track sales, sizes, buying habits, special requests, and personal details such as birthdays and anniversaries. Ms. Augusta dressed many of San Diego's rising star professionals, especially within the Black community. She had her own style, did things her own way, and in her own time. A true fashionista, she even changed her hair color like an accessory to match every outfit. She dressed impeccably every day and often said of Sunday attire, "Sunday best, not Sunday mess!" 

"Ms. Augusta," or "Gussie,” as she was respectfully called, returned to the community in 1975 to care for her ailing mother and manage the family rental property, where she continued to live within walking distance of Stockton Elementary. 

Ms. Augusta was a long-time member of Calvary Baptist Church until after the passing of the renowned Rev./Dr. S. M. Lockridge, who was the church's pastor. In 1997, she joined Rev. Troy Owens to establish New Life Baptist Church (NLBC) along with approximately 60 other members. As a charter member of NLBC, Ms. Augusta supported church activities, special events, and educational programs. She was passionate about education, inspired in part by her daughter Kym's pursuit of higher learning, culminating in a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management. 

In 2014, Ms. Augusta founded the "Angel Ministry” to reach out to the sick and the shut-in. Ms. Augusta and church member Laura Stevens visited members who were hospitalized or in nursing homes. The "Angel Ministry" duo also called the sick and shut-in, sending inspirational cards and angel-like figures to uplift and encourage those in need. In 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions, Ms. Augusta reinvented herself and became tech-savvy so she could continue reaching out through texts and messages. 

In 2018, Ms. Augusta was recognized and honored at the December School Safety Patrol Holiday Party, conducted by Chief Nisleit along with Assistant Chiefs and Command Staff of Patrol Divisions, for her long-standing contribution to the School Safety Patrol Program. She was awarded an honorary Colonel Rank for her outstanding commitment to the program which included assisting students in crossing the street, something she had done as a student at Stockton Elementary. Although retired, Ms. Augusta continued to help others, by donating faithfully to the scholarship fund and to the Academics in Motion (AIM) tutoring program designed for young students. She believed young people deserved every opportunity to grow and learn. 

Ms. Augusta was a supportive mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, cousin, neighbor, friend, and church member. She loved deeply and worked tirelessly, caring for her family, her home, and her garden. She planted orchids and grew and nurtured fruit trees-apples, tangerines, limes, lemons, and avocados- and was delighted in watching them grow. She shared the fruits of her labor with neighbors and friends and took special pride in her cotton tree, often showing it to children walking by on their way to school. 

Preceding her in death was her second husband, Theodore J. Sawyer, her two sons, Paul E. Brooks and Harold V. Brooks, her parents, two sisters and four brothers. 

Ms. Augusta leaves to cherish her memory: 

• Her daughter, Kym D. Jackson, EdD and her grand-dog, T'Challa 

• First Grandchild, Michelle Brooks of Pomona, CA, and Michelle's children: Jaysean, 29; Jamell, 18; Jaiden, 17; JaMaury, 15; Mariah Bernard, 11 (via Jaysean) 

• Grandson, Harold Vernard Brooks, Jr. of Lansing, MI, and his children: Lationa Evon Brooks, 20; Ni' Yhona Nicole Brooks, 17; Gooddness Vernae Brooks, 11 

• Jasmine Myers Brooks, (Paul E. Brooks) of Texas, and her child, Samuel Rhys Munoz, 3. 

• Mercedes Augusta Brooks (Paul E. Brooks), and her child, Daliha Augusta Barbee, 5. 

For all who knew her, Ms. Augusta planted seeds of love and watered them with charity and gratitude. What she grew lives on in all of us.

A Limb Has Fallen 

We little knew that day God was going to call your name.

In life, we loved you dearly, 

In death, we do the same. 

It broke our hearts to lose you, You did not go alone.

For part of us went with you The day God called you home.

You left us beautiful memories, Your love is still our guide.

And though we cannot see you, You are always at our side. 

Our family chain is broken, And nothing seems the same.

But as God calls us one by one, The chain will link again.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of AUGUSTA SAWYER, please visit our floral store.