Claribel L. Rooks
March 12, 1916 - January 29, 2013
Obituary
Claribel L. Rooks
March 12th, 1916 – January 29th, 2013
Claribel L. Rooks (Simpson) was born in Ione, Washington to Thomas and Claribel Simpson.
Married Al Rooks on April 12th, 1934.
Gave birth to son Tommy Dean on February 28, 1935.
Also known as Belle, she worked during WWII at Boeing where both she and husband Al helped build bomber wings. Belle literally was a “Rosie the Riveter”.
At the end of the war, Belle left Boeing and purchased a beauty salon in downtown Seattle, Washington. Not long after that she convinced Al to get his barber’s license and soon, he too joined her in the hair business and relocated it to Burien.
Their hard work paid off and they grew their business to 3 salons. Belle and Al were able to take an earlier retirement and pursue their real passions. They bought a plot down at a new ocean side development called Ocean Shores along with several of their friends and spent summers playing golf, clam digging, playing pinochle, blackjack and entertaining. Belle even got her real estate license and sold plots of land as part of the Pat Boone Golf Classic campaign to grow Ocean Shores into the “Atlantic City of the Pacific”.
Also while at the ocean, Belle wrote poetry and a romance novel. A lot of her poetry was about her love for our Lord, Jesus Christ.
In her later years after husband Al had passed away, Belle was diagnosed with Dimentia and eventually became a residence of Lord’s Joy, a senior care home in SeaTac. She received the most incredible care from the loving staff at Lord’s Joy. They not only cared for her physical needs but would sing to her, call her Mama, and even participate in her birthday when family came to honor her day.
The night grandma died she was embraced with the presence of her granddaughter Bella Fritz, grandson-in-law Brook Fritz, great granddaughter Heidi Freeman and her companion Bryan McPherson.
Having been incoherent for the last 7 years of her life, she managed to say “I love you” just before she passed on. What a blessing. She’s now re-united with her one-and-only love Al, dancing with angels and in the presence of The Lord.
Belle is survived by 5 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren.
Belle will be laid to rest right next to her husband Al and other deceased members of her family at Bonney Watson cemetery in Seatac, Wa.
We won’t say “goodbye” just “see you later”.
Love you grandma!
Grandma, I miss you so much, but I know you are now with Jesus and Grandpa looking down on all of us. It gives me joy to know you are in a better place now and not in any pain. On the other hand my heart is broken cause I will miss our special times together. You always were there for me and loved me unconditionally. You were a woman of love, faith, wisdom and grace. You taught me so much about living and helped me through many storms in my life. You gave me hope and taught me how to pray. I love you and Grandpa very much and one day we will all be together again.
Aunt Belle is the last to join her husband, parents, siblings and her only child- another sign of her inner strength. Those still here will miss her, but be happy for her, in her new life. I will always remember Aunt Belle as one of the kindest, most gracious and gentle people.
Love you Aunt Belle.
Patty
May you rest in peace in a happier place, Belle. God bless you and your family.
Grandma,
I have many emotions as I think of you no longer here on earth. My heart is joyful that you are now reunited with the love of your life, my grandfather Al. I smile knowing that you are there with grandpa as well as are in the company of my father, and your son, Tommy. It brings me comfort knowing that you three are together in the house of our Lord with other family and friends.
Yet my heart is also heavy. I feel a great loss knowing that this chapter of my life has now passed. My grandfather who was so proud of the Rooks name and family, my grandmother who was so devoted to her husband and my father whom I know loved each of his children, all now beyond my reach other than in prayer. However, this is the cycle of life and in it is a lesson I must accept.
My memories grandma of the time I had with you as a child playing at your beach home are forever etched in my memory. Your welcome embrace, the sounds of you playing the organ and of course, the $10 you would give each of us kids to spend on whatever our heart desired. I remember all so well the Johnny Cash album I bought with this money.
Grandma, I hope as you sit with grandpa and my father you will each look down at me and be proud of the way I have lived my life. I have served my community faithfully, both in the military and as a law enforcement officer. Always this side of my family has been on my mind and I have worked hard to represent the family well.
Rest in peace grandma, and please say hello to the family for me. I will talk with you all in my prayers each night and one day I shall come to join you. Watch for me….
I love you,
Tommy Dean Rooks Jr. – Reyes
It makes me happy to think of Belle reuniting with Al. He’s been waiting a long time for her! I always looked forward to seeing both of them at Brook and Bella’s.
Your loss is shared with those you do not know, because of love and concern for each other. We all are humans with like feelings and death is an enemy that strikes the human race. Our creator has made promises to remove the tribulations, and to give a life of peace , and to reunite those asleep in death to a paradise earth, this is found in the bible at Revelation 21:3-4