Rea Kay Hook

Early Life

Rea Hook was born on September 29, 1942, in Mojave, California, to Orville Allen Clark and Wilda Arline Stout. In April 1946, her family moved to Bakersfield, where her younger sister Shirley was born that July. After her parents’ divorce in 1951, Rea and her mother settled in Sacramento, later spending formative years in Susanville and Meadow Valley. There she forged lifelong friendships, especially one with her closest friend Dita—a bond that remained strong the rest of her life.

Family and Personal Milestones

In 1960, Rea married Richard Hook and moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where she welcomed her daughter Renae and son Rodney. The family returned to Sacramento in the late 1960s, and Rea then parted with her husband and pursued a career in real estate. She later married Dr. Richard Flanders, DVM, blending their families, Rea’s two children along with Richard Flanders children, Cynthia, Judith, and William. They built a life together sharing adventures from Tahoe ski trips to Northern California fishing and camping.

Between 2005 and 2008, Rea endured the heartbreaking loss of her son Rodney, daughter Renae, and granddaughter Brianna. During that time, Brianna’s parents, William and Tawny Flanders of Boise, grew especially close to Rea. In the early 2000s, when Rea moved to Sun Valley, the three of them enjoyed traveling together, attending sporting events, concerts, theater and ballet performances, culinary and charity gatherings, hiking, snowshoeing, cooking classes, and dinners at fine restaurants.

Her niece Amy and Amy’s husband—with their three boys—visited Sun Valley annually, skiing in winter and hiking in summer, filling Rea’s home with multigenerational laughter and exploration.

A Trailblazer in Real Estate

In 1973, Rea earned her real estate broker’s license and founded REA Associates, Inc. Under her leadership, the firm grew to over sixty agents and completed more than fifty development projects totaling over 7,000 homes. Through the 1970s and 1980s, she collaborated with Northern California’s leading builders—pioneering site development, marketing strategies, and innovative housing designs that transformed communities.

As a respected developer in the greater Sacramento area, Rea managed over 3,000 rental units, balancing big-picture vision with hands-on execution. Breaking barriers as the first female board of directors member of the Building Industry Association, she mentored countless colleagues and reminded everyone that “women in business have to work twice as hard.”

Life in Idaho and Signature Style

Around 2000, Rea settled in Sun Valley, Idaho. One of her favorite pastimes in the Wood River Valley was buying and renovating properties—blending soft blues, greens, and pinks with the rustic warmth of log homes or the sleek lines of modern villas.

In 2022, she moved to downtown Boise to embrace the capital’s vibrant energy. She eventually made her home at The Terraces of Boise, where she thrived in her final years. There, she transformed her cottage with the signature décor she perfected over decades—graceful, colorful, and unmistakably hers.

Rea made friends everywhere she lived—some lifelong, others fleeting—but she always left an impression. She loved sharing stories over a glass of wine, infusing each tale with humor, history, and heart.

Passions and Philanthropy

Her love of travel took her across the United States and around the world—to Europe, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia, and beyond. With a zest for cooking, she took culinary classes wherever she went, bringing new recipes and techniques back home for family and friends to enjoy. Throughout her life, Rea generously supported causes close to her heart, including P.E.O. International and Camp Rainbow Gold.

Legacy and Survivors

Rea’s life was defined by resilience, creativity, and leadership. She built homes, communities, and opportunities for others, mentoring agents, inspiring colleagues, and opening doors for women in her industry.

She was preceded in death by her children Rodney and Renae, and her granddaughter Brianna. She is survived by her stepchildren Cynthia, Judith, William, and his wife Tawny Flanders; her adored granddaughters Ashley and Hayley; her niece Amy; and Amy’s husband and their three sons.

Her family remembers Rea as a woman of strength, warmth, and vision—someone who lived fully, gave generously, and left the world more beautiful than she found it.

In Lieu of Flowers

The family requests that donations be made in Rea’s memory to Camp Rainbow Gold, an organization close to her heart that provides hope, healing, and joy to children diagnosed with cancer and their families.