Thomas Patrick O'Rourke Jr.

Thomas Patrick

O’Rourke Jr.

aka Koh-Koh-Now

Passed on February 27, 2009 at the age of 23. Thomas was born October 15, 1985, to Thomas O’Rourke Sr. and Stacey Abbott in Arcata, California. Thomas was almost 12 pounds when he was born and along with that weight, he was born with the biggest, kindest, most loving heart you would ever know. He always greeted and departed his family with a hug, a big kiss and the words “I Love You”, He always let us know how much he loved us. He was called Kocky in fun and he loved to joke and tease and always had a fast come back.

Thomas was a lifelong resident of Hoopa and a proud member of the Yurok Tribe. He loved his culture, and there were very few brush dances or jump dances he did not participate in.

He was a family man. He became a daddy two years ago when Buckley, then age two, came into his life. Tom took him in and loved and cared for him as much as any man could care for his own child.

Thomas was a passionate Raiders fan. He loved football and had been collecting football cards since he was about four years old. During his spare time when he wasn’t watching football games he was playing his video games.

Thomas worked for the Hoopa Roads Department and loved operating heavy equipment. His co-worker said that he knew the first time Thomas got on a piece of machinery that he had a special talent for running it. One of his lifelong aspirations was to attend Heavy Equipment School

Thomas has entered the spiritual realm and will join those who have gone before him: His great grandparents, George and May Abbott, Kenneth and Hazel Keller, his grandparents, Richard O’Rourke Sr. and Lorraine O’Rourke, Uncles: Robert Robbins, Harold Blain Marshall, Richard O’Rourke Jr., Michael John O’Rourke and Dennis O’Rourke; Brothers, Delmar James and Redsky Rojas and cousin Traci Melendy O’Rourke.

He will be greatly missed by; his son Buckley, his mother Stacey Abbott and Heath Jackson; his father Thomas Patrick O’Rourke Sr. and wife Sherry, his brothers and sisters, Charlene O’Rourke and Brandon Wiggins, Madolin, Gino, and Phillip O’Rourke, Windy Rojas and Jude Marshall, Sundance Rojas, Stormy and Robert McConnell, his grandmother, Madolin Keller who he loved very much and called Gram Dingy, his grandparents, George and Lynn Abbott, his Aunts and Uncles; Carol and Jeff Hutton, Cessie Abbott and Paul Toe, Steven Abbott, Leonard Abbott, Daniel O’Rourke, Carole and Vernon Lewis, Kay and Rudy Inong, Valerie O’Rourke, Patti and Roger Gibbens, Lawrence O’Rourke and Elizabeth Leach, Margo and Dick Robbins. He will also be missed by his niece, Tesla O’Rourke, his nephews Anthony Rojas, and Isha-Kom McConnell and his cousins, far too numerous to name.

Pall Bearers will be Gino O’Rourke, Sunny Rojas, Talbert Alvarado, Jim Bob Melendy, Daniel Tracy, Ranold Pearson, Don “Sugs” Colegrove, and Wes Crawford. Honorary pall bearers: Tiger O’Rourke, Mike O’Rourke, Rick O’Rourke, Dick Robbins, Phillip O’Rourke, Melvin Marshall, Merv George II, Lenard Abbott, Steve Abbott, Roger Gibbens, Jude Marshall, Paul Toe, Yadao Inong, Richie Nixon, Josh Salinas, Dagoberto Lopez, Glenn Moore II and Dylan Jensen.

Visitation will be held at Paul’s Chapel in Arcata, CA, from 4pm to 5:30pm Tuesday March 3, 2009. Wake will follow at the home of Taralyn Offins 917 Dowler Drive, Eureka, CA, (707) 954-0538. Services will be held at the Neighborhood Facility in Hoopa, CA, at 12pm Wednesday March 4, 2009. Thomas will be laid to rest at O’Rourke family cemetery at Tulley Creek, Weitchpec, CA.

Care is under the direction of Paul’s Chapel, 1070 H Street, Eureka, California.

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