Charles S. Brock

Charles Sidney Brock, a month shy of "99" years old, died on July 27, 2024. 

Charlie was born in Gulfport, Mississippi to Walter and Maude Brock on September 10, 1925. He was a graduate of Gulfport High School where he was on the tennis team and received his actual "Letter" in 1982 from Coach Lindy Callahan. He was also a graduate of The School of Banking at Louisiana State University. In addition, he was a graduate of The College of Mortuary Science in St. Louis, Missouri and he worked for Riemann Funeral Home for several years. He volunteered for many years in his later years to answer the telephone for them so they could all attend their Annual Riemann Funeral Home Christmas Party.

 He was a proud veteran of World War II. The day after he graduated from Gulfport High School in June 1944, he left for Navy Boot Camp in Virginia. Afterwards he was sent to a Navy/Marine Base in California where he was given 8 weeks of Marine Combat Training and then boarded a Troopship for the South Pacific where he was involved in the Liberation of the Philippines. He returned in 1946 and was discharged. He was recalled in 1951 during the Korean War where he served on a Navy Destroyer. He was honored to be able to travel to Washington DC aboard the Honor Flight in 2012 and was at the airport to meet and greet every Honor Flight when they landed back in Gulfport. He was given Honor Flight t-shirts and WWII hat that he wore everywhere he went-he was so proud.

 He joined Hancock Bank in 1956 and retired in 1989. He was a Vice President and manager at their Northeast Branch. 

 Charlie was a member of the Gulfport Yacht Club for many years. He was the oldest living member and was still enjoying going there with his family and eating and visiting with everyone. He had a group of men that he always enjoyed sitting and eating with for years. 

He was also an avid golfer and a member of Tramark Golf Club, where he made a hole in one. He was an avid runner since 1965 and kept notebooks after notebooks of the miles he ran each day (until he reached 30,000 miles), the dates, the temperature, and also how many miles he had on each pair of running shoes. He slowed down in his 90s and started walking instead of running-everyone in Bayou View knew him and would wave to him as they drove past. His favorite past time was working in his yard which he kept immaculate and was still riding his lawn mower at 95 years old. He loved flowers and loved growing his own caladiums. 

 From his three daughters: Our daddy lived a very long and fulfilled life and was still going strong at 98 years old and we are going to miss him like crazy. His sons-in-law are going to miss him. His grandchildren are going to miss him. And oh, how he is going to be missed by his great grandchildren who adored him. They always ran to him for a hug and a kiss the minute they saw "Poppy". Everyone that knew our daddy knew how much he loved to eat! He ate lunch out literally 7 days a week and has since he stopped driving around 7 years ago. He could out eat just about anyone and was a small man. Our mornings and weeks will not be the same without our conversations of who was taking Daddy to lunch which days that week, where did he eat yesterday, anyone cooking dinner for him tonight or did he order something at lunch for tonight. If you were taking him a home cooked dinner, he wanted it around 5:00 and wanted it hot so he would not have to heat anything up. He had several favorite restaurants where he was a fixture starting around 11:15 everyday-the Yacht Club, Lil Rays, White Cap, and occasionally Wards where he loved their chili dogs and chocolate milkshakes. He would tell you his favorite was eating pound after pound after pound of crawfish at Lil Rays, which turned into about a 2+ hour lunch every time-not sure how he did it, but he loved them. They were so kind to him, he had is personal waitress, Christine, that he loved, and on Monday they had his favorite table reserved with a sign "Rest in Peace Mr. Brock" along with a water and a coke and a stack of folded paper towels that he would fold the minute he sat down. He was always anxious to get home after lunch to take a quick nap with his cat, Bella, that he loved so much, and she would be waiting on him. Daddy kept telling us he never dreamed he would live this long, but we are so glad he did. We got to have him for a long time, and we loved every minute with him. He was so worried that he was a burden to us, and we were so happy he was still with us. He was so ready to get to Heaven and be with our mom who he lost 24 years ago after 52 years of marriage. Rest in peace Daddy-we all love you and we will miss you terribly. 

He was proceeded in death by his parents, Walter and Maude Brock and his wife of 52 years, Vivian Katherine Brock.

 He is survived by his three daughters, Katherine Brock Switzer (Eddie), Sandra Brock Webb (Jim), and Becky Brock Blacklidge (Ronnie), all of Gulfport; his five grandchildren, Ashley Switzer Buford (Jeremy), Edward Horace Switzer, April Webb Brannon (Kyle), James Patton Webb, Jr. (Natalie), Leeann Pittman Weaver (Ryan), and Christopher Brock Pittman; eight great-grandchildren, Aubrey Buford, Ryland Buford, Finley Buford, Vivian Brannon, James Brannon, Reeves Webb, Henry Webb, and Addison Pittman; and his beloved cat, Bella. 

 A funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at 11:00 am with a visitation starting at 10:00 am. Interment will follow at Floral Hills Cemetery.

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the Humane Society of South Mississippi. https://www.hssm.org/donate

 Riemann Family Funeral Home, 11280 Three Rivers Road, Gulfport is honored to serve the Brock family. 

Please visit www.riemannfamily.com where memories and photos may be shared.