Since he was a child, John Francis Rooks wanted to be a firefighter. He began as a volunteer in 1986 for La Habra Heights Fire. He then served with Monrovia City, where he promoted to captain and served until his retirement in 2015. John was awarded Firefighter of the Year by American Legion, was a member of the Los Angeles County Swift Water Rescue Team, the USAR Task Force 4 team and was an instructor at the Foothill Fire Academy. Outside of work, John coached sports, played with his grandchildren and golfed. In August of 2016, John suffered a fatal heart attack caused by job-related heart disease. He is survived by his wife, Pam, their children, Michael and Katie, and their grandchildren, Ayden and Irie.