Alexander Ray Rooks

Alexander Ray Rooks

August 16, 1948 - April 5, 2024

Alexander Ray Rooks passed away peacefully on Friday, April 5, 2024, with his family at his side.

Ray spent his whole life doing what he loved, working, and playing with horses. 

As a child, Ray enjoyed traveling to fairs each summer with his parents, showing his pony, Queen. They had great success, receiving many trophies and ribbons. Ray came to realize his love for horses and found himself trading his bicycle for a palomino horse named Silver.  Silver became Ray's pride and joy for many years to come, enjoying many adventures together.  

With the love and success Ray had with horses, he shared his knowledge both with judging and as a leader of 4-H. At a meeting in November 1967, Ray met Vivian. Soon to become the love of his life. 

They were married in August of 1971 and made their home on the family farm west of Swan River.      This opportunity gave Ray great pride, joining his parents in continuing to farm the homestead of his grandparents, which they moved to, from Lanigan, Sk. in 1932. 

Soon, Ray and Vivian's family began to grow, Kristen arriving in ’73, Shannon in ’75, Colleen in ’79, and Hayden in ’81. 

When Ray saw the pony chuckwagon races at the rodeo one summer, he knew he had to be a chuckwagon racer.  He got started with a chariot in ’65 and soon graduated to a chuckwagon. Ray went on to compete at many races across MB, SK, and AB for the next 50+ years.  He passed the lines over to Hayden in 2022 and was very proud to watch him drive his outfit for the last 2 summers. 

One of Ray’s proudest accomplishments was to see all of his kids competing in the races, and now his grandsons competing as well. 

Ray was a founding member of the MPCCA, also a member of the EPCCA, for many years.  Ray became a great advocate for the sport of racing, working tirelessly as the president of the MPCCA for many years, as well as the Vice-President and President of the Northwest Round-up and Exhibition.

One of Ray's fondest successes was coordinating the Canadian Pony Chuckwagon Finals in Vegreville, AB. in 2005 to 2007 with his close friend, Larry Salmond. 

A highlight of Ray's racing was receiving a trophy rifle in 1980, after winning the Morris Stampede Chuckwagon Races.

Ray was a PMU producer from 1972-2003, along with raising cattle, and driving truck throughout the years.

Ray was predeceased by his son, Kristen, in 2004, brothers in infancy, Lyle (1947), and Dale (1954), his mom and dad, Alex and Effie Rooks, and father and mother-in-law, Jack and Alice Thompson.

He is survived by his loving wife, Vivian, his three children, Hayden (Charlene), Colleen (Patrick), Shannon (Ward); and grandchildren, Juliet, Jesse, Jackson, Reed, Maccoy, Parker, Ryder, Holden, and Teagan.

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