Billie N. Crooks
January 17, 1923 - November 12, 2005

Billie Crooks Graveside services: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, Columbus City Cemetery. Visitation: 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, Stacy-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services, Columbus Junction. COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa - Billie N. Crooks, 82, of Columbus Junction, died at her home Saturday, Nov. 12, 2005, on her 50th wedding anniversary. The Rev. Cathy Whitlatch will officiate. Casketbearers will be Kevin Ortberg, Keith Ortberg, Travis Ortberg, Darrin Crooks, Dean Crooks, David Crooks and Greg Crooks. A memorial has been established at the funeral home in her name. Following the committal services, a time for refreshments and memory sharing will be held at the Columbus City United Methodist Church. She was born Jan. 17, 1923, in Herrin, Ill., the only child of John William and Etta Mae Whiteside Bowman. She was a 1940 graduate of Marshall High School in Marshall, Texas, and she also attended college in Marshall. While visiting relatives in Columbus Junction, she met and married Max Heither in August 1941. Her husband died in a car accident in 1954. On Nov. 12, 1955, she married Robert Crooks of Columbus Junction. She enjoyed working and meeting the public. In pre-war and war times, she worked at the West Side Cafe. She also worked as a secretary for attorney Tom Perry and spent several years working at Ross Dry Goods. The couple owned and operated The Locker Market for many years. When they closed The Locker, she went to work for Schlutz Enterprises as a secretary/bookkeeper for 16 years. Upon retirement, she worked at the Columbus City Market for about four years and for a short time, the Louisa Veterinary Clinic. She was a member of the Columbus City United Methodist Church. She was also a leader in her community, serving as secretary for the Columbus Music Mothers, a member of the Business and Professional Women's Club, the Rebekahs, the VFW Auxiliary, president of the American Legion Auxiliary, member of the Eastern Star and secretary and president of the Columbus City Improvement Club. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She was an avid gardener and possessed an extreme love for animals, especially the numerous pets she cared for during her lifetime. She will be dearly missed by her husband, Bob, of Columbus Junction; her sons, Dave Crooks and wife, Becky of Iowa City, Jeff Crooks and wife Andrea of Columbus Junction and Richard Heither and wife Sandi of Wetumpka, Ala.; her daughter, Cheryl Heither of Des Moines; two grandsons, Greg and Joel of Columbus Junction; and her beloved dog, Skeeter. She was preceded in death by her parents and first husband.

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