(Ella) Frances Spooner Rooks

December 2, 1927 - May 18, 2021

(Ella) Frances Spooner Rooks, born December 2, 1927 in Hernando, Florida, joined her Heavenly Father on May 18, 2021. Frances was a community member of Pleasant Grove. She is survived by her loving husband of 74 years, Valentine Marion Rooks, and was the adoring mother of Eugene (Rosemary) Rooks, Ella (John) Thomas, and Larry (Nancy) Rooks. Frances always found great joy and pride in her six grandchildren (grands) and thirteen great-grandchildren, Justin (Natalie) Rooks, parents of Caroline and Audrey; Katie (Adam) Weaver, parents of Lillian Grace, Joseph, Rooks, and Mary Emilee; Sarah (Cody) Hensley, parents of Chloe Rose; Martha (Daniel) Moen, parents of Valen, and Thomas; Rebecca (Dustin) Green, parents of Madeline Ruth and Waylon James; and Nocona (Travis) Anderson, parents of Layla Rachelle and Breton Edmond. Frances grew up on Croft Lake in Hernando and was the daughter of Frederick Eugene Spooner and Annie Lenthal Croft. Frances was the youngest of four children, and her siblings were; Anne, Josh, and Cleve. As a young girl, she and her siblings lived on a farm where they grew sweet potatoes, peanuts, and sugarcane for making syrup. After marrying Valentine, they established a thriving cattle ranch in Pleasant Grove. They also grew hogs in the woods and to this day, have carried on the tradition of making sugarcane syrup. Valentine and Frances were pioneers of utilizing agricultural technology throughout their ranch. Frances was an active community member. She served as the club president for the local and county homemaker clubs, was a 4-H club leader, an original member of the Florida Cowbells, a member of Florida Farm Bureau, a director on the Citrus County Fair Board, and a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Frances loved spending time with her family and always conveyed love and kindness. She taught her children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren to love the Lord and to stand up for truth and righteousness. While we are saddened by her earthly passing, we look forward to joining her in Heaven in a joyous homecoming. Frances will be laid to rest on Sunday, May 23rd, 2021. Her life will be celebrated at the Inverness Chapel of Hooper Funeral Homes at 3:00 pm, with a visitation to precede at 2:00 pm. Graveside services are to follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family has asked that those wishing to contribute to the legacy of Frances Rooks make donations in her honor to the Frances Rooks Memorial Fund, care of the Citrus County Cattlemen’s Educational Fund; PO Box 2742 Inverness, FL 34451. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26