Richard Louis Crooks

Richard Louis Crooks, 95, passed away Monday, June 20, 2016. Richard was born in Covington, Texas, September 21, 1920 to Louis Porter Crooks and Bertha Alma Millsap Crooks, the youngest of five children.  His father passed away when Richard was 13 years old, and after graduating from Covington High School, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC’s) to help support his mother.  He served in Waxahachie, Texas assisting farmers in fencing and erosion control.  He won a scholarship to Trinity University in San Antonio and majored in Divinity Studies.  When his scholarship expired he joined the Army Air Corp in 1940. He served his country in the United States 8th Army Air Corp in England during World War II.  After the War ended he returned to Texas and with his wife Marguerite had three children.  He was a loving father and a devoted husband to Marguerite until she passed away in 1978 from cancer. Richard had many talents and a warm and generous heart.  He loved to garden and travel, taking his family on road trip vacations to see every state in the country he loved, and Canada and Mexico. He was well known for his skill as a dominoe player, and continued to be a champion until his last weeks of life. He was also a great story teller and at CCC’s reunions and family gatherings was requested to share his life experiences with his special touch of humor.  His stories were like history lessons.  He once told us when an old person passes on, it’s like a library burning down.  We’re grateful for all the stories we can pass on to our families. Richard showed us all, by his life’s example, how important it is to live a life in truth, fairness, and faith in our Heavenly Father. He is dearly loved and respected, and will always be in our hearts. He was preceded in death by Marguerite, his wife of 36 years, his parents, his brother, and 3 sisters. He is survived by his children, Benita, Gary, and Roy, numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, and his loved nieces and nephews. Funeral: 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Mayfield Kiser Funeral Home. Burial: Laurel Land Memorial Park. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.