Robert Roy Crooks: May 2, 1945-April 30, 2026

Robert Roy Crooks, a devoted husband, father, and the funniest man we have ever known, passed away on April 30, 2026, two weeks shy of his 81st birthday.

He was everything. Patriarch, protector, husband, father, teacher, friend, coach, storyteller—the center of our world and a loss we will feel for the rest of our lives.

He was born in Weslaco and raised in Mercedes, Texas, where he developed friendships that lasted a lifetime. He loved music, worked in the local record shop and played in his high school band. After graduation, he served his country in the United States Air Force for four years, during the Vietnam War.

Roy followed his father and brother into the produce industry where he spent his entire career serving as general manager of multiple produce companies in the Rio Grande Valley. He worked tirelessly—rising before dawn and putting in long days—to provide a good life for his family. But he made it a point to be home for dinner, a quiet but steady reminder that his family came first.

The roles he was most proud of were the ones he held at home. He was a wonderful father to his two children, Shandi and Shane, and a man whose humor shaped their childhood and beyond. From the earliest years, he filled his home with laughter and brought joy into everyday moments. He’d get down on the floor to play, turning simple toys into full productions complete with sound effects and punchlines, and creating moments his children would carry with them forever. He could even turn an ordinary car ride into a performance—playing piano on the dashboard to an Elton John song and getting out at stop signs to dance—he had a gift for making the everyday extraordinary.

As his children grew older, his humor only grew sharper. He believed laughter could get you through anything, and nothing was ever “too soon.” Even life’s disappointments were met with a well-timed joke and a reminder not to take things too seriously. That ability to find humor in all things became one of the greatest lessons he passed on.

He was also, in every sense, a fighter. A double-lung transplant survivor, he was given five years to live and went on to live sixteen more—something that spoke to his fierce determination. In the years that followed, he endured countless health challenges—yet each time, he faced them with resilience and an unbreakable spirit.

Above all, his greatest love was his wife, Barbara. Their relationship was rare—one that spanned more than 50 years of marriage and an extraordinary bond that never faded. Though they first knew each other in high school, they reconnected years later on Christmas Eve, and after just one date, he told her they were going to get married. And they did.

What they built together was the kind of marriage people hope for but rarely see. They moved through life in perfect step—never needing much beyond each other. They were constant companions, finishing each other’s sentences, laughing together, and finding joy in the simplest moments, whether sitting on the porch watching the deer or cheering on the Dallas Cowboys side by side. They didn’t just love each other—they fit, completely and effortlessly, in a way that made their life together something truly special to witness.

Through every challenge, his wife stood beside him as his steadfast caregiver, handling life’s daily demands with strength and devotion, especially during the years when his health made even simple tasks difficult. Together, they formed a partnership defined by loyalty, sacrifice, and deep, enduring love.

He will be remembered as the patriarch and protector of his family, a man whose laughter filled every room, whose work ethic built a life for those he loved, and whose strength carried him far beyond what anyone thought possible. His legacy lives on in the values he instilled, the joy he created, and the countless memories that will continue to bring comfort and laughter for the rest of our lives.

He is preceded in death by his parents Wilma and Robert Crooks, and his brother, Jack Lee Crooks. He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Barbara Belle Crooks of Kerrville; children, Shandi Crooks, and Shane Crooks and wife Victoria, grandchildren Logan and Carson Hager—all of Round Rock—sister Bebe Kay Crooks of Harlingen, and his nieces and nephew.

He is deeply missed and forever loved.