A native of Hodgenville, she was a daughter of the late Charles Claudius “Claude” and Hannah Brooks Larue Williams and was a member of Good Shepherd Catholic Church. She was owner and operator of Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home in Hodgenville for more than 30 years. She was the first female president of the Lincoln Heritage Trail board of directors and Larue County Chamber of Commerce. She inspired and co-chaired the Lincoln Days celebration. She was assistant director of recreation parks and historical sites for Kentucky Department of Parks. During her tenure with the department, she became one of Kentucky’s greatest protectors of history. She worked with numerous administrations, parks department management, and “equally passionate and determined” park managers directing the restoration of Kentucky State Parks and Historic Sites, which have become the benchmark by which other state parks are measured.

As a direct descendent of Mary Brooks Larue Enlow Rathbone — earlier pioneer, spouse of John Larue (Larue County), a midwife who assisted with the birth of Abraham Lincoln, and grandmother of John Larue Helm, a two-term governor of Kentucky — it was only natural that Mary Brooks Howard would become passionate about Abraham Lincoln and Kentucky history.
 
Awards and honors Mary received were: Kentucky Historical Society, Award of Distinction for an Individual; 2007 president of the Lincoln Heritage Trail board of directors; appointed to the board by Gov. Wendell Ford in 1973; first woman to serve as president of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Tourism; appointed by Gov. Julian Carroll in 1979; Brigade of Kentucky Mounted Riflemen; honorary commission presented by Gov. Julian Carroll in recognition of Brooks Howard’s valued support of the Kentucky Economic Development Militia; 1979 Governor’s Task Force on State Parks Development; appointed by Gov. Julian Carroll; 1979 American Association of State and Local History (AASLH); president of the Hardin County Audubon Society Kentucky Tourism Council; Kentucky Festival Association; and Hodgenville Women’s Club Kentucky Colonel.