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David Lee Rooke

David Lee Rooke

Male 1923 - 2009  (86 years)

Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name David Lee Rooke 
    Born 2 May 1923  San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Group Davidson 001 Family of Immigrant John Davidson 
    • Descendants of immigrant John Davidson of DNA Family 001
    Group Davidson Direct Descendant 
    • Direct Descendant of any immigrant Davidson
    Group Davidson DNA Family 001 
    • Descendants of John, George, and Samuel Davidson of Beverley Manor, Virginia, and Iredell county, North Carolina
    Group Descendant of Revolutionary War Veteran 
    • DAR or SAR Eligible Descendant of a Revolutionary War Veteran
    Died 5 Aug 2009  San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Aft 5 Aug 2009  First United Methodist Church Columbarium, Kerrville, Kerr County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Obituary 7 Aug 2009  Clute, Brazoria County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Brazoria County Facts 
    • David Lee Rooke, age 86, of Kerrville passed away Wednesday, August 5, 2009, in a San Antonio hospital.

      Visitation will be held Saturday, August 8, 2009, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Grimes Funeral Chapels.

      Services will be held Sunday, August 9, 2009, 3:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Kerrville, officiated by Dr. Warren Hornung.

      Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.
    Obituary 8 Aug 2009  Clute, Brazoria County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Brazoria County Facts 
    • David Rooke

      David Rooke always was looking ahead. In fact, his favorite phrase was, "Don't worry about the past. Just throw away the rearview mirror." Yet when he died at 86 last Wednesday morning, August 5, he left behind a rearview mirror worth looking in, crowded with stories of lives he had touched.

      Born in a barn in the shadow of the Alamo on May 2, 1923, to Henry and Annie Rooke, with older siblings, Dorothy and Eugene, the family soon moved to Houston. There he met the love of his life, Esthermae Litherland, and went on to graduate from Rice Institute as a chemical engineer. David enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and was married to Esthermae on June 2, 1945. After the war (and against his mother?s wishes), he took a longshot chance on a new plant being built by Dow Chemical in Freeport, and started there in the power plant. Twenty-three years later, he was named general manager of Dow's Texas Division. In 1974, he was promoted to help Dow navigate the energy crisis and was moved to their headquarters in Midland, Michigan. He was named president of Dow Chemical USA in 1978, and became executive vice president of the worldwide company and served on the board of directors until his retirement in 1988. It's a dramatic success story, from barn to board room, but not surprising for a man who used the ratchet wrench as a symbol for his employees: "Always forward, never back." But if you had asked David to tell his own success story, he would've pointed to one of the many family photographs lining the walls of his Kerrville home. Twelve-hour workdays somehow never got in the way of Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and sporting events and science fairs and music concerts and church pancake dinners.

      When he hit the driveway, his time was his family's and not his own.

      Even when he retired, he never retired. He continued his work with the Boy Scouts, becoming its national honorary treasurer and earning one of Scouting's highest honors, The Silver Beaver. He was named a Rice University Outstanding Chemical Engineering Alumnus. He served deeply and passionately for the First United Methodist Church in Kerrville, like he had in Lake Jackson and Midland, as well as serving as a two-time United Way chairman. He worked as a board member for James Avery and helped the Tierra Linda Volunteer Fire Department as both a dispatcher and fundraiser. And he continued to be there for the major events in his four boys' lives and of their 11 grandchildren.

      David is survived by Esthermae, his wife, partner and best friend of 64 years; his four sons and their wives, Eugene and Cheryl, Mark and Jana, Paul and Debra and Bruce and Julia, and all their children and their spouses, Thomas and Sivan, Anna, Stephen, Alison and Tadashi, James David, Austin, Emily, Maegan and Trent, Melisa Beth, Eleanor and Travis.

      There will be two services in Kerrville to celebrate his life: a visitation at Grimes Funeral Chapels on Saturday, August 8, from 5 to 7 p.m., and a memorial service at the First United Methodist Church in Kerrville, Texas, on Sunday, August 9, at 3 p.m.

      Memorial gifts can be made to the Boy Scouts, Salvation Army and First United Methodist in Kerrville, or any charity of your choice.

      "Always forward, never back." That was the message of David Rooke's life, and the message for all of us who have been touched by the fire and love and trust of this husband, father, brother, employee, boss, volunteer, mentor, believer and friend.

      The family invites you to send condolences at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the "Send Condolences" link. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.
    FindaGrave Memorial ID 41494002 
    Person ID I29  DNA Family 1 Genealogies
    Last Modified 31 Jan 2022 

    Father Henry Levi Rooke, Jr.,   b. 12 Sep 1883, Victoria, Victoria County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Sep 1979, Bryan, Brazos County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 96 years) 
    Mother Annie Davidson,   b. 1 Oct 1885, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Dec 1946, Houston, Harris County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 61 years) 
    Married 18 Jul 1905  Houston, Harris County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F19  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Esthermae Litherland,   b. 9 Oct 1924, Houston, Harris County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Jul 2021, Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 96 years) 
    Married 2 Jun 1945  Houston, Harris County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. E.O. Rooke
     2. M.L. Rooke
     3. P.A. Rooke
     4. B.D. Rooke
    Last Modified 4 May 2006 
    Family ID F22  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 2 May 1923 - San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 2 Jun 1945 - Houston, Harris County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 5 Aug 2009 - San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - Aft 5 Aug 2009 - First United Methodist Church Columbarium, Kerrville, Kerr County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsObituary - Brazoria County Facts - 7 Aug 2009 - Clute, Brazoria County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsObituary - Brazoria County Facts - 8 Aug 2009 - Clute, Brazoria County, Texas Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    David Lee Rooke (1923-2009)    		David Lee Rooke (1923-2009)

  • Notes 
    • Living at Freeport, TX as of 1958 data.


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