Brooke Elaine Mathews, age 45 of New Glarus passed away on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at UW Hospital in Madison.  She was born on December 26, 1979 in Boscobel, WI the daughter of Steven and Janet (Keller) Kraska.  As a child Brooke was diagnosed with a serious heart defect, and throughout her life she had undergone several heart surgeries overcoming the odds given by her doctors that she would live to adulthood.

Brooke graduated from Riverdale High School in 1998 and continued her education at UW-Richland & UW-Platteville graduating with a degree in Elementary Education in 2003.  She taught kindergarten and first grade at St. John's Catholic School in Spring Green and later became the Academic Interventionist & Title 1 teacher at Riverdale Elementary and Middle School.  On May 14, 2005 she was united in marriage to Greg Mathews at St. John's Catholic Church in Spring Green.  After her son Tucker was born, Brooke chose to leave the classroom and be a stay-at-home mom and be a director for Keep Collective.  Brooke, Greg, and Tucker lived in the Richland Center area until 2013 when they moved to Pennsylvania following Greg's career in construction.  Brooke and her family returned to Wisconsin in 2017 settling in New Glarus.  It was in New Glarus that Brooke found her dream job as the Youth Services Librarian at the New Glarus Public Library.  At the library she led story time, the summer reading program, LEGO club, and all of the other children's activities.

As a librarian Brooke loved to read, typically well over a hundred books per year.  She also enjoyed listening to music, attending concerts, and traveling.  Special moments were the annual trips to the WI State Fair for cream puffs and other fair specialties and live music, attending Badger Football games, and camping with family and friends.  Brooke volunteered at the Green County Humane Society which gave Tucker a chance to play with the cats, she also coordinated donations to women's shelters and prepared care bags for those undergoing chemo treatments at area hospitals.  Tucker was Brooke's brightest light and provided her most special moments.  Seeing him participate in sports and school activities, watching their favorite movie "The Goonies", and trying every new Oreo flavor were just some of the joys Brooke received from being a mom.

Brooke was an amazing librarian, coworker, wife, mother, daughter, aunt, niece, and most importantly, an amazing friend.  She was the most generous, loving, kindhearted, compassionate, giving, happy, optimistic, selflessness, hug-giving, smiling, and animal loving person you could ever meet.  She brought joy to everyone she met and you couldn't help but smile just seeing her.  And even at the end, her selflessness and generosity goes on, Brooke was an organ and tissue donor.

Brooke is survived by her husband Greg Mathews and son Tucker.  She is further survived by her maternal grandmother Elsie (Broeker) Keller of Boscobel, WI, brother Jason Rubitsky of Tomah, WI, father-in-law and mother-in-law Tim & Brenda Mathews of Spring Green, WI, sisters-in-law Julie (Mike) Kast of Reedsburg, WI and Sara Peterson of Mauston, WI, brother-in-law James (Jami) Mathews of Fisher, MN, nieces Haylee & Madi Kast, Ally Rubitsky, and Avery & Elsie Mathews, many aunts, uncles, cousins, and her mother Janet's life partner Randy Wirtz.

She was preceded in death by her father Steven and mother Janet, paternal grandparents Harold & Shirley (Neefe) Kraska, maternal grandfather Harry Keller, and a cousin Nikki Arms.

A celebration of Brooke's life will be held from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Events at Castle Rock, 15040 Shemak Rd., Muscoda, WI.

The Zentner-Beal Funeral Home of New Glarus is assisting the family.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for Tucker.