Rooks, Howard Bert

Howard Bert Rooks, 87, of Marion, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center. Funeral services celebrating Howard's life will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, at the First United Methodist Church in Marion with Pastor Mike Morgan officiating. Burial will follow in Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery with full military honors. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home.

Howard was born Sept. 2, 1924, to Albert and Ruth (Wyatt) Rooks in Nora Springs, Iowa. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Dec. 7, 1942, serving until May 1946, achieving the rank of 1st Class Petty Officer. He was an Aviation Electronic Technicians Mate 1st Class (AETM1), where he worked on some of the first efforts in radar guided weapons development.

After his honorable discharge, Howard entered Iowa State College and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering. While at Iowa State, he married Ila May Wood on Nov. 27, 1947.

After college, they moved to Fort Wayne, Ind., where Howard worked for Capehart-Farnsworth for two years before moving back to Iowa. Howard then spent the rest of his career (37 years) in Cedar Rapids at Collins Radio Co. (later Rockwell Collins) as a design engineer, receiving many patents. He retired in 1990.

Some of Howard's happiest times were when he went to their mobile home at Harpers Ferry, Iowa, where he could take his boat and go fishing on “his” River, the Mississippi.

Howard is survived by his wife of 64 years, Ila; six children, Clay (Roberta) Rooks, Fresno, Calif., Judy Rooks (Bill Deiz), Portland, Ore., Lance Rooks, Marion, Todd (Regina) Rooks, Nevada, Iowa, Amy Rooks Guffy, Springfield, Ill., and Kelly Rooks of Marion; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren with a fourth on the way.

Howard was preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial fund has been established in his name.

Online condolences may be left at under Obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Dec. 18, 2011.