Catherine McNutt Rooks

1931 – 2007

Catherine “Cappy” McNutt Rooks was born in Seattle to John and Betty Mauk on August 5, 1931.  Cappy was an inspirational woman who lived life to the fullest, regardless of the challenges she faced. Her indomitable spirit was exemplified by her oft repeated exclamation, “Onward and upward!” She fought and survived cancer in 1997 and dedicated her life to her family, friends and community.

Cappy grew up in Seattle and attended University of Washington, graduating with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She married Delos W. McNutt in 1954, and they spent a full and loving life together until his passing in 1988. She married Harold Rooks in 1992.

She possessed an adventurous spirit, a love of gardening, travel, kayaking, fishing, and hiking.  Cappy highly valued education, art and music, and she relished sharing these pastimes with friends and family. She embodied the meaning of optimism, love of family and of life. Her bequest to the Preservation Trust demonstrates her appreciation for the San Juan Islands, and for the open spaces where she enjoyed her many hobbies.