Mary Ratliff Rooks

Mary Ratliff Rooks, 75, a long-time resident of Wilmette, Illinois, died on March 12, 2021 at Covenant Care at The Holmstad, Batavia, Illinois.

Ms. Rooks was born in Evanston, Illinois on January 18, 1946. She attended New Trier Township High School, graduating with the Class of 1964. Mary received her Associates of Arts Degree from Centenary College, Hackettstown, New Jersey in 1966 and her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign, in 1968, majoring in English and minoring in French. Mary was inducted into the National Honorary Scholastic Society for Junior Colleges and the National Foreign Language Honorary, and was on Dean’s List at both institutions of higher learning. While at the University of Illinois, Mary was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority. Following college, Mary held a variety of positions, working in the fields of publishing, advertising, healthcare, and education, completing her career working in alumni and charitable relations at Northwestern University, Evanston. After college, Mary resided in Chicago and Wilmette, before moving to Batavia in 2017.

Mary loved music, had a beautiful singing voice and was active in various stage musicals and singing groups throughout her high school and college days, as well as singing with the Apollo Club of Chicago. In addition to Mary’s interests in music and singing, she loved the cinema, going to see plays, and traveling in the world. Mary held most dear her family and friends. She was also a great dog lover, concerned for the welfare of all animals, and a long-time supporter of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and PAWS Chicago.

Mary is survived by her sister, Melissa D. Rooks, and her niece, Amy B. Russell, Wilmette, IL; and by her brother, John N. (Mary N.) Rooks, of Geneva, IL, and her nephews, John N. (Bridget) Rooks, Jr., Chicago, and Thomas N. Rooks, Downers Grove, IL.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mary’s name may be made online to ASPCA.org or to its address at 424 E. 92nd St. New York, NY 10128-6804; or to PAWS Chicago, 1997 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago, IL 60614; or to the charity of donor’s choice.

An online guestbook has been made for the family, where you may share a memory. You can access this by visiting www.dignitymemorial.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Wm. H. Scott Funeral Home, 1100 Greenleaf Ave., Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Telephone: 847-251-8200. Interment will be private at a later date at Memorial Park Cemetery, Skokie, IL.