Richard "Dick" Michael Rock

Richard “Dick” Michael Rock, 90, passed away at his home surrounded by family in Mount Vernon, Virginia, on June 10, 2025.

Dick was born at home on a snowy evening to Helen Jean (Gormally) and Harold Lee Rock, Sr in Onawa, Iowa, the town with the widest main street in America. Dick and his family moved more than a dozen times during his childhood and lived in several Midwestern states before eventually settling in Omaha, Nebraska. Dick initially pursued a calling to join the priesthood and attended Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary in Minnesota through his junior year of high school but decided to leave the seminary and join his family in Omaha. He completed his senior year and graduated from Creighton Prep. He attended Creighton University on a ROTC scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History

While living in Omaha, Dick met Mary Elizabeth McGill, whom he called Beth. They were married on December 27, 1958 at Holy Cross Church in Omaha and spent the first three years of their marriage in France. Dick and Beth were blessed with seven children.

Dick was an Army Intelligence Officer for 20 years before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Early in his military career he attended the Army Language School in Monterey, California in preparation for a three-year tour in Bussac-Foret near Bordeaux in France. After France, he and Beth returned to the U.S. (with three kids in tow) and lived in Maryland for a few years before moving to Alexandria, Virginia with their five children and where Dick would live for the rest of his life. He served one tour in Vietnam from 1969-1970 where he earned a Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service and a Joint Service Commendation Medal.

After his retirement from the Army, Dick was Facility Security Officer for the Center for Naval Analysis (CNA) and Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA). He retired in 2001.

Dick was a dedicated and well-respected professional, however his true focus in life was on people and relationships. He was a loving husband as well as a present and wonderful father and grandfather. In any activity he pursued he made lifelong friends. Anyone who knew him knew his kindness, his subtle wit and his love of eating.

Dick was a music enthusiast and loved dancing with Beth. Dick became an avid runner beginning in the 1980s and in addition to many races, he completed 11 marathons including six Marine Corps Marathons. He appreciated the physical benefits of running but even more he cherished the friendships he developed with the many running partners he had over the years. Once age prevented him from running, Dick walked every day. He also loved fishing whether it was with his kids using bamboo poles, with co-workers on fishing charters on the Chesapeake Bay, or with friends and family on the shores of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. In his 50s, Dick started backpacking and completed multiple trips in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California and summitted Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. He also summitted Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeastern United States, on a very foggy afternoon as part of a hut-to-hut hike in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. In retirement, Dick became a kayaker. He was one of the longest serving Pirate Captains of the Chesapeake Paddlers Association and was recognized for his years of service as the Captain of the Potomac Piracy of Belle Haven Marina. He enjoyed weeklong Sojourn paddling trips on the Potomac, Patuxent and Susquehanna Rivers as well as paddling trips in the Adirondacks, Tennessee, Alaska and Florida. The peacefulness of paddling, observing nature and the comradery of his fellow paddlers kept him kayaking until he was 87 years old. Another favorite adventure was when Dick, along with his son Matt, visited his brother Tim in Guam to snorkel and kayak in Palau.

Dick’s faith was the pillar of his life. He was a founding member of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Mount Vernon and was an active parishioner until his death. Dick participated in several church committees and for many years volunteered to serve meals at the Route One Corridor Kitchen (ROCK) at the Elks Lodge. He thoroughly relished the years that he taught religious education to seventh and eighth graders.

Dick is survived by his cherished wife, Beth, and his children Matthew, Mary and her husband Paul Evans, Anne, Edward and Helen and her husband Andrew Jones; his grandchildren Davis and Ian Rock-Jones; his brother Timothy and wife Larie Pangelinan; his sisters-in-law Marilyn Rock, Helen McGill, and Jean McGill; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sons Mark and Stephen; his brother Harold Rock, Jr; his brothers-in-law Eugene McGill, Joseph McGill, Russell McGill, Gerald McGill and Charles Daum; and his sisters-in-law Kathleen Daum, Kathleen McGill and Dolores McGill.

A Memorial Service for Dick will be held at 10:30 am on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 8710 Mount Vernon Highway, Alexandria, VA 22309. A reception at the church will follow. Visitation will be at 10:00 am at the church prior to the service.

The Memorial Service for Dick will also be livestreamed and recorded on Good Shepherd Catholic Church’s YouTube Channel (@gscatholicchurch348) youtube.com/@gscatholicchurch348

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to United Community, unitedcommunity.org, or a charity of your choice.