Joanne Robin Rooks

Our dear mother, Joanne Robin (Dee) Rooks, age 91, passed peacefully on November 11, 2024. She is predeceased by her husband of 50 years, John Arthur Rooks, her twin brother, Robert H. Dee, Jr., and her parents, Bob and Mildred (DeeDee) Dee.

Robin is survived by her sisters, Barbara O’Neil and Marilyn DeCoste; her six children Marci Rooks, John Rooks (Claire), Matt Rooks (Kristen), Traci Slendak (Alex), Mark Rooks (Donna), and Luke Rooks; grandchildren Barry Ocean (Megan), Austin Follmer, Kameron Follmer, Tucker Klein (Kenzie), Johnny Rooks (Scarlett), Marie Button (Nathaniel), Jake, Josh and Maddie Rooks, Alex and Ashley Rooks, Hannah Rooks, and great-grandchildren Xander, Olivia, Axel and Gwendolyn Follmer, Jack Rooks, Quinn Button and Pearl Rooks, and many nieces and nephews.

Mom was born on May 18, 1933, in Quincy, Massachusetts, and excelled in academics and athletics in school. Upon graduating high school, she enlisted in the United States Air Force and after basic training in Texas, was stationed at Great Falls Army Air Base, later named Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. While there she met her husband to be, John, and they married on June 14, 1952. After discharge they moved to Massachusetts where the first three of their six children were born, then relocated to Tallahassee where the last three kids came along. She was a full-time homemaker and as her children grew up, enjoyed volunteering for many local causes and organizations, such as the public library, hospice, the Christmas Connection and Chamber of Commerce. She was an enthusiastic reader and had many books in her home library.

Her long-time love of sports and natural competitiveness manifested itself in learning and mastering the game of golf (mostly because John loved to play), softball, skeet shooting, and bird hunting. Mom and Dad joined Killearn Country Club when it opened in 1967 and enjoyed many happy rounds and friendships through the years. The family has wonderful memories of their enthusiastic involvement in helping organize and providing hospitality for the players and caddies who came to play in the Tallahassee Open. Robin had started college courses in the military and later graduated TCC in 1979 and received a B.S. in Psychology from the Florida State University in 1982, achieving her long-desired goal of graduating college before age 50.

A Funeral Mass officiated by Fr. Michael Foley will be held on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 4665 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, followed by burial next to her husband in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, 6300 Memorial Blue Star Hwy., Chattahoochee.

Thanks, Mom, for always being there. We will forever love and miss you.

“Sweet bird! Thy bower is ever green, Thy sky is ever clear;

Thou hast no sorrow in thy song, No winter in thy year!”