On February 7th, 2014, just shy of her 90th birthday and minutes after the birth of her second great-great granddaughter, Viola Marwitz Rooks “…slipped the surly bonds of earth…” and joined our Heavenly Father with her beloved husband Jack, Mama and Papa, brothers Carl, Alvin and Norman, sister Eldora and their spouses, and baby nephew little Lester Marwitz.
Born in Texas in bluebonnet country, Viola (pronounced Veeola like the flower or the musical instrument) moved with her family to Georgia where in high school she met the love of her life, Andrew Jackson (Jack) Rooks, Jr. They were married on January 29, 1943 and had a beautiful but all too brief marriage before he lost his life in the service of our country in November, 1949, leaving her with their two and one half year old son and a little less than two months before the birth of their daughter. With her strong faith and help from her family, she raised her children and was a constant source of love and support for them and their families. She gave so much and asked for so little. She was our earthly “rock.”
She leaves to cherish her memory her loving and grateful family: son Kenneth Andrew Rooks (Marge), daughter Jackie Rooks Sykes Bowen (Louie); grandchildren Heather Rooks Lingefelt (Mike), Amy Rooks Johnson (Darrin), Jack Rooks (Tammy), Wendy Sykes Grynkewich (Nick), Stephen Sykes (Donna), Jamie Sykes Dotson (Christopher) and Mary-Anna Bowen; seventeen great-grandchildren and their spouses and three step-great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren with one more great-great grandchild on the way. She also is survived by many beloved nieces and nephews and their families and her church family at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church.
A funeral service was held at Fayetteville First United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, Ga. on Monday, February 10th at 1 p.m. in the Chapel, with fellowship afterward in the old Fellowship Hall.
As there will be no grave side service, in lieu of flowers please consider donating to either of her favorite charities: The Salvation Army (salvationarmyusa.org) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org); or to Mt. Zion U. M.C., 2840 Metropolitan Pkwy, Atlanta, Ga. 30315.
