Dell E. Roark

  • BY wire.service
  • Friday, September 23, 2016 12:00am
  • Obituaries
Dell E. Roark

Dell E. Roark

Dell E. Roark (O’Rourke) at age 87 passed away on Saturday, September 10, 2016 while staying temporarily at Cotton Grove Estates Jesup, Georgia, under the care of his daughter Sharon Westfall with her husband Terry and Georgia Hospice Care, as a result of congestive heart failure.

Dell was born on June 2, 1929 in Tacoma, Washington to the late Claude and Alice Beckman Roark. He spent over 50 years in Port Angeles, Washington and was a graduate of Roosevelt High School.

Dell married Beverly Bell, they raised four children while he worked on the Milwaukee Railroad. Dell was a fierce competitor in bowling, pool tournaments and loved to ballroom dance. After his first marriage ended in divorce, Dell met and married the late Jewel Rich, and the two made their home in Kent, Washington. While residing there the pair enjoyed her 5 children Jeanette, Don, Kenneth, Ronald, Marsha and their families. Later in life he enjoyed traveling to compete in senior softball tournaments.

Dell also continued bowling, playing pool, loved playing cards and attended ballroom dances twice a week with some very special people in his life at Kent and Renton Senior Centers and the Renton VFW. During the last eight months of his life, Dell reflected back to his service as an alter boy in the Catholic Church and how he had fallen away. Miraculously, after over seventy years, Dell accepted Jesus Christ back into his life and testified to that fact until the day he died. 

In addition to his parents and his wife of twenty-one years, his siblings, Lee Roark, Margarett Hawks, Myrna Bennett and Larry Roark all preceded him in death.

Survivors include his son, Bruce O’Rourke and wife, Ann of Port Angeles, Washington; his daughters, Sharon Westfall and husband, Terry of Jesup, Georgia; Sandra Lynden and husband, Al of Kent, Washington and Sheila Roark Miller of Port Ludlow, Washington; six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. 

Private memorial services will be held by the family at a later date.

Please sign our guestbook online at www.jesupfuneralhome.com Howard & Jones Funeral Home, Jesup, GA.




Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Obituaries

Marian E. O'Rourke | Obituary
Marian E. O’Rourke | Obituary

October 5, 1922 - October 10, 2024 Marian E. O’Rourke was born… Continue reading

Irene Burlile Eckfeldt | Obituary
Irene Burlile Eckfeldt | Obituary

July 15, 1935- September 21, 2024 Irene Burlile Eckfeldt was born with… Continue reading

Dorothy Rishel | Obituary
Dorothy Rishel | Obituary

December 20, 1925- September 3, 2024 Dorothy “Dottie” Rishel , a current… Continue reading

David Jules Harris | Obituary
David Jules Harris | Obituary

November 24, 1945 – May 26, 2024 David Jules Harris passed away… Continue reading

MaryLou Becvar | Obituary
MaryLou Becvar | Obituary

October 12, 1937- July 21, 2024 MaryLou Dinning Becvar passed away peacefully… Continue reading

Dr. Larry D. Faris | Obituary
Dr. Larry D. Faris | Obituary

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Dr.… Continue reading

Irene Bartley | Obituary
Irene Bartley | Obituary

Irene B Bartley, lifelong resident of Kent passed away July 1st 2024.… Continue reading

Alexander Ryan Kusulos | Obituary
Alexander Ryan Kusulos | Obituary

12/28/1982 – 7/24/2024 Forever 41 In the still of the night on… Continue reading

Eric Robert Christian Reitan | Obituary
Eric Robert Christian Reitan | Obituary

Eric Robert Christian Reitan, age 84, passed away after battling aggressive Lymphoma… Continue reading

Major Walter T. Tanimoto | Obituary
Major Walter T. Tanimoto | Obituary

Major Walter T. Tanimoto, U.S. Army (Ret.), a distinguished veteran, volunteer, and… Continue reading

James Cantrell | Obituary
James Cantrell | Obituary

May 30, 1930 - May 30, 2024 James Horace (Jim) Cantrell passed… Continue reading

Merilyn Catlin | Obituary
Merilyn Catlin | Obituary

May 28, 1949 - May 6, 2024 Merilyn Catlin was born in… Continue reading