Neamon H. Rooks of Memphis, a Midtown barber for more than 50 years, died Sunday at Rosewood Nursing Home. He transferred to the nursing home last week from St. Francis Hospital, where he had been a patient since November. He was 84. Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel with burial in Memorial Park. In 1986, Mr. Rooks told The Commercial Appeal that he moved to Memphis from a Crockett County farm near Alamo, Tenn., in 1930 'just to get off the farm and find a job in Memphis.' He was 19 when he decided to enter a barber college. After graduation, he began cutting hair at a downtown barber shop at Jefferson and Second. In 1936 he opened his own shop in Midtown at Madison and Cleveland and operated it there until 1970, when he moved around the corner to 1360 Madison. He closed his shop in December 1986 when he retired. But he rented a chair at the Coat of Arms Hair Styling shop just a few blocks east on Madison, working therepart-time for customers who had been coming to him for most of his career. Mr. Rooks gave his last haircut at his home to his grandson, Russ Rooks, on the child's second birthday, July 3, 1988. He was a member of Highland Heights Baptist Church. Mr. Rooks, the husband of Cora Rooks, also leaves two daughters, Delores Irby of Jacksonville, Fla., and Linda Herron of Memphis; two sons, Barry Lee Rooks and William R. Rooks, both of Memphis; two sisters, Ruth Franklin of Paris, Tenn., and Hazel McCaig of Memphis, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. (Published in The Commercial Appeal 5/25/1992)
Neamon H. Rooks of Memphis, a Midtown barber for more than 50 years, died Sunday at Rosewood Nursing Home. He transferred to the nursing home last week from St. Francis Hospital, where he had been a patient since November. He was 84. Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel with burial in Memorial Park. In 1986, Mr. Rooks told The Commercial Appeal that he moved to Memphis from a Crockett County farm near Alamo, Tenn., in 1930 'just to get off the farm and find a job in Memphis.' He was 19 when he decided to enter a barber college. After graduation, he began cutting hair at a downtown barber shop at Jefferson and Second. In 1936 he opened his own shop in Midtown at Madison and Cleveland and operated it there until 1970, when he moved around the corner to 1360 Madison. He closed his shop in December 1986 when he retired. But he rented a chair at the Coat of Arms Hair Styling shop just a few blocks east on Madison, working therepart-time for customers who had been coming to him for most of his career. Mr. Rooks gave his last haircut at his home to his grandson, Russ Rooks, on the child's second birthday, July 3, 1988. He was a member of Highland Heights Baptist Church. Mr. Rooks, the husband of Cora Rooks, also leaves two daughters, Delores Irby of Jacksonville, Fla., and Linda Herron of Memphis; two sons, Barry Lee Rooks and William R. Rooks, both of Memphis; two sisters, Ruth Franklin of Paris, Tenn., and Hazel McCaig of Memphis, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. (Published in The Commercial Appeal 5/25/1992)
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