Frances Marie (Burnette) Rooks

Rocky Mount -

Frances Burnette Rooks passed away on June 21 at age 83. She was born April 13, 1936, the third child of Cloice and Dell Burnette of Centerville, NC where she worked on the farm and attended Wood Church.  She graduated from Gold Sand High School and then moved to Rocky Mount, NC for employment with Carolina Telephone Company.  She later transferred to Florence, SC to join her husband, Jesse, who was employed by the Atlantic Coastline Railroad.  She later retired from the Southern Bell Telephone Company after a long career.  Frances enjoyed her family and especially her grandchildren.

Jesse and Frances enjoyed their small farm in Rocky Mount and being close to their family and siblings in the eastern NC area.  In their retirement years they cultivated and sold grapes from the vineyard they had planted on the farm.

Her husband and life partner, Jesse Mott Rooks, predeceased her in 2012.  She was also predeceased by her sister, Mary Lou Finch, and two brothers, James Ronnell (Hoover) Burnette and Cloice (Tinker) Burnette Jr.

She is survived by her two children, Garry R. Rooks of Rocky Mount, NC and her daughter, Janet Rooks Wright of McLean, VA and their respective spouses, Peggy Clark Rooks and Jay Wright.  She has four grandchildren, Ryan Clark Rooks of Wilmington, NC, Eric Winsor Rooks of Greenville, SC, Rachael Marie Wright and David Rooks Wright of McLean, VA.  She also has one surviving sibling, Ava Susan B. Edwards of Youngsville, NC and her husband, Philip Edwards.

A special note of gratitude is extended to the kind and caring staff of Breckenridge Retirement Center for the excellent care she received during her residency.

 A service to celebrate Frances’ life will take place at 11:00 am, Saturday, June 29 at the Chapel of Memories, Rocky Mount Memorial Park, 4454 Dortches Blvd, Rocky Mount. The family will greet friends immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to the Alzheimer's Association Eastern North Carolina Chapter, 5171 Glenwood Ave Suite 101, Raleigh, NC 27612 or online at: https://www.alz.org/nc/donate.

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