Kathy May Rooker

Danville, VT: Kathy May Rooker, age 79, of Meadow Drive, passed in the company of her family to the arms of our Lord at the Woodridge Rehabilitation in Barre, VT, Sunday evening, October 4, 2026 following a three-year decline.

Kathy May (Rice) Rooker was born on September 5, 1947 in Phillipsburg, NJ to Lillian Doris (Meade) and Robert Leonard Rice. She was the second of four daughters and grew up in Easton, PA. Kathy graduated Wilson High School in 1965, attended Lankenau Nursing School PA and graduated in 1968. She continued to work at Lankenau Hospital and joined the Air Force Reserves from 1968-1975 as a flight nurse. She took a leave of absence in 1973 to attend St. Joseph’s College in North Windham, Maine, to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

St. Joseph’s College is where she met the love of the life Lurvey Daniel Rooker, on her birthday! Dan and Kathy were married on July 12, 1975, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Easton, PA.

Kathy taught OR Nursing students at Lankenau Hospital from 1974-1977. Dan and Kathy moved to West Virginia in 1977, and Kathy served as the Surgical Nursing Supervisor at the University of West Virginia Medical Center until 1980.

Dan and Kathy had a daughter, Laura and son Robert Rooker. Kathy stayed home to care for the children from 1980-1987. Kathy had a variety of jobs and returned to nursing in the early 1990s.

A career opportunity at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital brought Dan and Kathy to Vermont in 2001. She retired in 2010.

Throughout her life Kathy’s biggest passion was her family. Her greatest joy was seeing her loved one’s smile. Kathy has always been regarded as the “nicest”. Her sister Carol said it best – “There is nice, then there is Kathy-nice” no one else is that nice. She never said a harsh word about anyone.

Kathy’s second largest passion was quilting. Kathy made hundreds of quilts and shared her love of the craft by gifting beautiful quilts to those that she loved.

Kathy will be remembered as someone with a good sense of humor, that was always in a good mood. She created an environment where people felt safe, seen and cared for. Kathy was patient and always lived her life in love – giving her whole heart to those she loved.

Kathy leaves behind her loving husband: L. Daniel Rooker of Danville, VT, a daughter: Laura (Corey) Newell of St. Johnsbury and son: Robert (Laura) Rooker of Bristol, VT; grandchildren: Brady Rice and Emma Rooker, sisters: Trudie Pleiss, Barbara (Anthony) Mentesana and Carol Jiorle along with a number of beloved nieces and nephews.

Kathy is pre-deceased by her parents, Lillian (Doris) Meade and Robert Rice and her in-laws Mary and Lurvey Rooker.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10AM Monday, October 12, 2026, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Winter Street in St. Johnsbury, VT, with burial to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in St. Johnsbury with Rev. Fr. Lance Harlow as celebrant.

Friends may call on the family from 2-4PM on Sunday, October 11th at the Sayles Funeral Home, 525 Summer Street in St. Johnsbury, VT.

Condolences may be shared to Guibord-Pearsons & Sayles Funeral Home for the family at www.saylesfh.com