Thursday, April 25, 2024
Longtime Granbury resident Bill Hooks, known for his generosity and leadership in the community, died Sunday morning at home.
He was 77.
The prominent businessman served on the Granbury Chamber of Commerce board, United Way, Lake Granbury Economic Development Foundation, Texas Automobile Dealers Association and many others.
Hooks was a former member of the City Council, served on the board for First Financial Bank and was chairman of the Hood County Hospital District for many years.
Former Mayor David Southern said Hooks took the job seriously when he served on the council.
“He applied his business skills to help the city,” Southern said. “He also gave generously to charities.”
Hooks had 30 years of ex perience with the family automobile group of Hooks Ford and Hooks Chrysler in Granbury, and Hooks Lincoln Mercury in Weatherford.
In 1985 Bill married Shirley Hughes, a local real estate entrepreneur. They established Century 21 Shirley Hooks, Inc. in 1995.
Friend and co-worker Jeanelle Tuuk said she was the first female selling cars and trucks in Hood County when she went to work at the Hooks family dealership.
Tuuk said Hooks was loving and kind, and had a very dry sense of humor.
“I considered him one of my best friends. I’m very sad today,”she said.
Tuuk recalled that Hooks was also a radio personality of sorts.
“He was the first voice heard on radio when the station KPAR came to Granbury,” she explained. “Bill said, ‘Good morning, you’re listening to KPAR 1410 on your dial.’ It played every morning when the station came on the air at 7 a.m. It ran for years.”
The station was first called KPAR. New owners wanted the station to be known as Pirate radio and changed the name to KPIR, Tuuk said.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Everett and Kathleen Hooks.
He is survived by his wife Shirley; daughters Tami Rasmussen (David) of Scottdale, Arizona; Emily Hooks of Austin; Kathy Kauffman (Nina) of Dallas; brother Dennis (Laura) of Weatherford; grandchildren, Zachary Hooks, Kasey Greuner and Hayley Kauffman and nephews, Kip (DeeDee) Hooks and Kory (Stephanie) Hooks.
Visitation at Wiley Funeral Home is from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Thursday. The family service will be private.
dschneider@hcnews.com 817-573-7066, ext. 255
