Amy Louise Rooks was born Feb. 19, 1941, on the way to the delivery room in Palo Alto, Calif. Her life ended in her home with family at her side on Sept. 22, 2024. Other than a brief time as a child, Amy lived her entire life in Oregon. Amy graduated from Klamath Union High School in 1959 and entered Southern Oregon College preparing to teach. Eventually she got a master's degrees at SOC and Portland State University. As an undergraduate at SOC, she was a dorm counselor. Her connection to students and the help she could give to them as they worked through some difficult times encouraged her to continue later as a counselor to junior high students. They often returned to say what a difference she made for them. Some of Amy's best memories as a child were family camping outings in nearby mountains and hiking trips to wilderness lakes. Some camping trips lasted for two weeks. She enjoyed being outdoors throughout her life and traveled mostly to destinations in the northwest. Exceptions included attending Broadway productions in New York City and touring the Inland Passage of Alaska. Annual gatherings with our adult children in the deserts of the Southwest were a break from winter weather. Given a choice, Amy wanted to be with our friends or family in the desert, on the Coast or in the mountains of Oregon. Rousing card games and good food were a part of family gatherings whether they were at holiday times or at once-a-year Kerr sibling outings somewhere in Oregon. Whenever she had a quiet moment, Amy chose to read books. She always had a collection from which to choose. Amy had an affinity for plants. She had a "green thumb" to which her house plants responded, especially her collection of orchids. Amy appreciated seeing and naming wildflowers along the trails we hiked. In the Redwoods, she felt closest to her spiritual self. Amy had a talent for a rhyming style of writing that she expressed in memorial tributes for friends and family. Amy wrote two short books for young children with Alfonso the Ant as the main character. The books were a collaboration with her brother-in-law, Howard Rooks, who illustrated them with colorful cartoons. They have been most popular with preschool children. Amy also had a talent for weaving pine needle baskets having learned the basic technique from her mother, who, in turn, had been taught pine-needle basketry by Marie Norris, a Native American in the Klamath Tribe. Amy's impressive pine needle baskets represent many hours of weaving. Amy had high school and college friends who stayed in close contact over many years. Many of her friends were in community service organizations including her PEO sisters, Assistance League and Circle of Hearts. Amy is survived by her husband of 57 yrs, James Rooks; daughter, Shannon Derry; son and daughter-in-law, Ron and Judy Rooks; daughter Debbie Rooks and her partner, Sara Brozovsky; granddaughter, husband and great grandson, Cheyenne, Dane and Koen Kruse; grandson and wife, Kenneth and Taylor Rooks; sister, MaryLou Fletcher; brother and wife, Bill and Anita Kerr; sister and husband, Karolyn and Jeff Newsom. Amy was preceded in death by her mother and stepfather, Marianna and Jerry Bridges; father, Charles Kerr and mother-in-law, LeOpal Rooks. The family wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. Cofas, the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center, and Klamath Hospice for their care of Amy. Debbie Rooks was especially devoted to making her comfortable during her final days. An informal memorial service overlooking Crater Lake from Sentinel Rock, attended by immediate members of the family, was held Oct. 26, 2024, as requested by Amy. Amy's family deeply miss her smile, spunk, encouragement, and especially her caring and love. For those who would like to make a donation in Amy's memory, Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center, Klamath Hospice and the Assistance League of the Klamath Basin are some suggestions.
