ROBERTA CROOKS

1922 - 2015

Roberta (Bobbe) Lorraine Crooks Bobbe left this world on December 12, 2015 after 93 years of joyful living. She was born to Martin and Jerania Olive Penhallick in Moses Lake, WA on September 19, 1922, and was the next to the youngest of 7 daughters. Bobbe was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters Victoria Suko, Ada Burt, Alberta Penhallick, Esther Rogers, and Viola Swanson; her husband William M. Crooks; and her grandson Sean M. Doyle. She is survived by her daughters Pam Binns (Wayne Binns) and Cindy Crooks; grandchildren Charles and Julia Binns; and sister Constance Snyder. Her nephew Mark Suko, his wife Nancy, and their children and grandchildren all were loved and considered important members of her immediate family. Bobbe grew up on the family homestead in Moses Lake, WA, and graduated from Moses Lake High School. She and her sister Esther (Penny) traveled to Anchorage, AK in 1940, leaving there when WWII began. They moved back to Spokane to live with one of their sisters. She met her future husband, Bill, there on a blind date, and they were married in 1947. They were happily married for 66 years, until Bill's passing in 2013. The strength of their marriage acted as a guiding influence and shining example to both of their daughters and to anyone else who knew them and their special relationship. As an officer's wife, Bobbe was a master at organizing the family moves every two to three years to different Marine Corps duty stations throughout the U.S. She especially enjoyed Bill's assignment to the Mediterranean. Bobbe and a few of the other officers' wives joined their husbands in Europe for a few weeks. The couple remained adventurous travelers throughout their marriage. During retirement, Bobbe and Bill traveled to Singapore, Egypt, Israel, the UK, Mexico, and South America. Bobbe and Bill also traveled to Alaska many times to visit their daughters in both Sitka and Anchorage. After a winter trip or two, they decided that Alaskan summers were quite a bit more inviting and a better time to visit. Following Bill's retirement from the Marine Corps, they moved back to Washington State, and settled in Fircrest during the early 1970s. They soon joined Fircrest Golf Club, and were active members there for nearly 40 years. They enjoyed their beautiful home in Fircrest, complete with swimming pool, hot tub, fish pond, and waterfall. Bobbe was ever the gracious hostess, and family and friends were always welcomed to enjoy the hospitality there at the "Crooks Family Resort." Bobbe lived a full and active life that included a wide variety of interests and jobs over the years. She worked as a dance instructor, taught ballroom dancing, operated a beauty salon, modeled, taught hula classes, worked for H&R Block, was a tour guide in Washington DC, was a long-time member of PEO, was an active member of University Place Presbyterian Church, and was an exceptional gardener, overall entertainer, bon vivant, and "life of the party." The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Jay and her loving staff at Soundview Adult Family Home, and to all of the caring and compassionate Franciscan Hospice staff, who provided loving support to Bobbe and her family during the final stages of her illness. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 29, at 11:00AM at University Place Presbyterian Church. Arrangements made by Mountain View Funeral Home. Remembrances may be shared at www.mountainviewtacoma.com. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to UW Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, (206) 221-7526, or Franciscan Hospice, (253) 534-7000.