Erma Rooks

Mrs. Erma Rooks, 99, of Americus, GA, passed away on Thursday, September 7, 2023, at her residence. Funeral services will be held at 2:00PM on Sunday, September 10, 2023, at Concord Methodist Church with Rev. Jason Owens and Rev. Sammie Curry officiating. Burial will follow the service at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Her grandsons will serve as pallbearers. The family will greet friends at Way-Watson Funeral Home in Ellaville, GA, on Saturday, September 9, 2023, from 5:00-7:00PM.

Mrs. Rooks was born January 18, 1924, in the Concord Community of Sumter County, GA, to Levie Morgan and Alice Catherine McNeal Johnson. A faithful member of Concord Methodist Church, she always attended no matter the circumstances. Mrs. Rooks worked in the Pressing and Steam Room at Manhattan Shirt Factory for many years. Once she retired, she took on the role of keeping her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were the joys of her life. Ever moving, she was always working and never sat down. Mrs. Rooks could grow anything and everything especially vegetables in her garden. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William Henry Rooks, by two sons, William Neal Rooks and Phillip Bryan Rooks, a sister, Martha Johnson Williams, a son-in-law, Joseph Dunford, two life long friends, Vera Howell and May Rigsby as well as many other friends.

Mrs. Rooks is survived by her three daughters, Henrietta Rigsby (Dock), Sandra Dunford, and Donna Jones (Jerry), all of Americus, GA; by two daughters-in-law, Kathy Rooks, and Lisa Rooks (Brad); a brother-in-law, W. R. Rooks, Jr. of Americus, GA; a sister-in-law, Alma Jossey of Cordele, GA; grandchildren Dock Rigsby, III (Karen), Robert Dunford (Lisa), Darrien Dunford (Jamie), Nick Dunford (Tiffany), Johnny Miller (Michelle), Christopher Rooks, Aaron Rooks (Pamela), Leslie Jones Nelson (Nicholas), Justin Jones (Laura), William Rooks (Laura), and Jonathan Rooks (Jessica); great-grandchildren, Melanie Rigsby, Jacob Rigsby, Lucas Rigsby, Curry Dunford Harbuck (Mark), Conner Dunford (Skylar), Faith Dunford, Brittany Underwood, Chelsey Dunford, Hailey Dunford, Raine Dunford, Sidney Miller, Christian Rooks, Haiden Rooks, Aidan Nelson, Annslee Rooks, Adalyn Rooks, Emily Rooks, Ellie Rooks, and Jacob Rooks; two great-great-grandchildren, Everlee Harbuck and Luke Harbuck; two nephews, Jimmy Williams (Debbie) and Bruce Williams (Shirley) and two nieces, Pam Ball (Greg) and Jan King (Jesse). Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

Way-Watson Funeral Home of Ellaville has been entrusted with these arrangements.