Ronna Wayne Rook

Ronna Wayne Rook, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away on March 8, 2026, at the age of 88. She will be remembered for her warmth, generosity, creativity, and the welcoming home she created for family, friends, and anyone fortunate enough to know her.

Born on September 18, 1937, in Mountain Home, Idaho, to Ron Smith and Colleen Smith (née Whitney), Ronna grew up in Mountain Home and graduated from Mountain Home High School in 1955. There she met Harold “Gene” Rook, who was stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base. They married on February 12, 1956, in Mountain Home. During their early years together, their sons Ron, Michael, and Randy were born in Mountain Home. Ronna volunteered as a Grey Lady, offering comfort to hospital patients.

In 1960, the family moved to Zaragoza, Spain, for three years, where their son Steve was born. After returning to the United States, they lived in Salina, Kansas, before Gene retired from the Air Force in 1964. The family later made homes in Alaska, including Ketchikan, Palmer, Sutton, and Anchorage, where their son Carey and daughter Teresa were born. Over the years they also lived in Caldwell, Idaho; Gold Beach and Bandon, Oregon; and Boise, Idaho. They spent many summers building a cabin in Lowman, Idaho, and made it their permanent home in 1987. In later years they lived in Mountain Home and Nampa, Idaho.

Ronna took pride in her heritage as a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Mayflower Society. She especially enjoyed helping new applicants research and document their family lines through the DAR, sharing her love of history and genealogy. A creative and resourceful woman, she sewed, knitted, made pine needle baskets, and painted Christmas ornaments. When her children were young, she often sewed their clothes from patterns chosen from the Sears catalog and skillfully stretched a limited budget to feed a family of eight.

Ronna loved walking beaches in search of seashells and embraced new experiences, including attending tour school in San Francisco in the 1990s simply for the joy of learning. She and Gene shared a deep love of travel, exploring the country in their RV from coast to coast and spending winters in Quartzsite, Arizona. Their home, wherever it was, remained a place of warmth, laughter, and open doors.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold “Gene” Rook, in March 2020; her parents, Ron and Colleen Smith; and her brothers, Stan and David Smith. Ronna is survived by her children Ron (Naomi), Michael, Randy (Sharon), Steve, Carey (Danialle), and Teresa (David), along with nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Her greatest joy was her family, and the love she gave so freely will live on in those she cherished. Her kindness, strength, and generous heart will be remembered always.