Obituary of Thomas Benton Hooker
Thomas B. Hooker, Jr.
May 25, 1926, to August 17, 2020
Tom Hooker passed away peacefully on the morning of August 17 from natural causes. He
was born in Dallas, Oregon on May 25, 1926, to Thomas B. and Winona G. (Lewis) Hooker. His
father served as Polk County Sheriff for 28 years.
Tom graduated from Dallas High School in 1944 and immediately enlisted in the Navy. He
served in World War II in the South Pacific from 1944 to 1946. Upon his discharge he attended
Oregon State University and graduated with a degree in Business in 1950. He went to work for
the State of Oregon in various capacities for the next 28 years finishing his career as Director of
Finance at SAIF.
In 1952 Tom marred June Davis. Over the next three years, they moved to Salem and had
children Steven and Linda.
Tom was a man of firm self-discipline. When he was informed in 1960 that he was going blind
from Retinitis Pigmentosa he immediately quit driving for fear of injuring someone. When he
decided to quit smoking he did it cold turkey.
Tom was preceded in death by June in 2015 and grandson Scotty in 1992.
Survived by his children: Steve (Vicki) Hooker and Linda (Bill) Delano and his grandchildren:
Joshua (Andrea) Tharp, Katie (Deric) Grondin, and Elsie (Zachary) Maines.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to OHSU’s Casey Eye Institute, Retinitis
Pigmentosa Fund.
Crown Memorial Centers specialize in Oregon Funeral, Burial, Cremation, Memorial Planning, Services and Arrangements
Serving Portland and Metropolitan communities including: Aloha, Aurora, Beavercreek, Beaverton, Boring, Canby, Clackamas, Donald, Downtown Portland, Eagle Creek, Estacada, Gladstone, Gresham, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Hubbard, King City, Lake Oswego, McMinnville, Milwaukie, Molalla, Mt. Angel, Mulino, Newberg, Oregon City, Sandy, Sherwood, Silverton, Tigard, Tualatin, Vancouver WA, West Linn, Wilsonville and Woodburn.
In Salem and surrounding communities of: Albany, Brooks, Corvallis, Dallas, Detroit, Gervais, Independence, Jefferson, Keizer, Lebanon, Mill City, Monmouth, Scio, Stayton, Sublimity and Sweet Home.
