A memorial service for Mary Elizabeth Douglass Rooker of McComb is 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 31, 2014, at Centenary United Methodist Church on Delaware Ave. in McComb.

Mrs. Rooker, 91, died May 18, 2014, at her son’s home in Columbus. She was born on Nov. 17, 1922, in Killen, Alabama to William Lauderdale and Annie Rae Douglass.

Elizabeth grew up in Killen where she graduated from high school in 1940. After high school she was employed with the telephone company in Florence, Alabama. In 1942, she enlisted in the WAVES, a division of the United States Navy. After training in New York she was stationed in New Orleans at the Naval Air Station in Algiers. After 12 years, she retired to raise three boys; Paul, Doug, and Mike. In 1990, she retired again after 16 years with Deposit Guaranty National Bank.

Elizabeth married John Paul “Buster” Rooker, Sr. in 1952 in New Orleans. They were happily married for 48 years. She was a member of the Olive Emmerick Sunday School Class and faithfully occupied the 3rd row of Centenary United Methodist Church for 42 years. She was an avid gardener and won numerous “yard of the month” awards during McComb’s annual Azalea Trail. She was very proud of her service in the WAVES and had the privilege of being part of the last Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight in November 2013 and the honor of helping present the Mississippi Veterans Wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Preceding her in death were her parents; husband, John Paul Rooker Sr.; son, William Douglass Rooker; brother, William Lauderdale Douglass III; sister, Ruth Douglass Johnson and grandson, James Patrick Rooker.

Survivors are her sons, John Paul Rooker Jr. “Karen” of St. Joseph, Michigan, James Michael Rooker “Lisa” of Columbus; grandson, John Paul “Trey” Rooker III of Hattiesburg; granddaughters, Kathryn Mathis and Anna Douglass Rooker of Columbus, Courtney Kelm and Caily Elizabeth Rooker of St. Joseph, Michigan; niece, Barbar Johnson of San Diego, California; and nephew, Douglass Johnson of San Deigo, California.

In lieu of flowers the family request donations are made to the William Douglass Rooker Scholarship Fund at Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 6149, Mississippi State, MS 39762.