Well this was freaky as all get out. I am sorry to hear of this man's passing, but I just gotta share the wierdness.
I am also William (Bill) Rooks. As was my father. My father died of pulmonary embolism, and I had open heart surgery in 2000 in California.
It gets wierder. I also have a nuclear engineering degree, and worked at River Bend (Library Systems not nuke plant) as a computer tech. I had received a job offer from VEPCO North Anna plant but passed it up to return to get another degree.
I found this post by doing a google search on my name. Imagine my surprise to find I was deceased and nobody bothered to tell me.
At any rate, my sympathies to the friends and family of my namesake. Hopefully this Bill Rooks (me) has a few years left in him.
Regards.