Edward Gentry Tschersich Rock

Ed passed peacefully from this life into the presence of the LORD on Sunday October 30, 2022 at Cape Canaveral Hospital. In his last few days, he was surrounded by family and friends.

He is predeceased by his first wife of 32 years, Carol. He leaves behind Jill his beloved second wife of 32 years; 4 sons: David, Robert (Janet), Stephen (Rebecca), and Jeffrey (Patricia), all residing in Brevard County, FL; Thirteen (13) Grandchildren and Thirteen (13) Great-Grandchildren all of whom loved their “Papa” dearly. He is also survived by a stepdaughter Patricia Irby-Peterson (Miles) of Charlottesville, VA, and a stepson, Marshall Irby (Elizabeth) of Grosse Pointe, MI.

Ed was a true southern gentleman, born in Nashville, TN on September 30, 1933 to Paul Carl Tschersich Rock and Irene Gentry Rock. He was raised in San Antonio, TX and Montgomery, AL.

He attended Sydney Lanier High School in Montgomery. He then went on Alabama Polytechnic Institute (later renamed as Auburn University) to receive his Bachelor’s Degree in 1957 in Economics (he also “minored” in Art). He was an avid ”War Eagle”. With his hopes once again high each September, his spirits rose or fell with fate of the football team each Saturday in the Fall.

Ed took a break from college during 1953-1955 when he was drafted into the Army. He was assigned to the 5th Loudspeaker and Leaflet Company, a group specializing in psychological operations warfare at Stuttgart, Germany. During this period he visited European capitals with his Army buddies, always remembering to send postcards home to Mama and Dad.

Ed’s working career began humbly, trying to sell Ford Edsels. Soon he moved on to work for the federal government. His first job was at Mobile, AL for a short period. In 1958 he was hired by the Army Rocket & Guided Missile Agency at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. In 1961 he was hired by NASA to work at the newly established Marshall Space Flight Center at Huntsville, AL.

In 1966 he was transferred to Kennedy Space Center, FL (KSC) where he witnessed the American space program first-hand during the Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.

During NASA’s down period from 1972 to 1975, he worked in Washington DC for the Dept of Transportation where he contributed to the inter-agency effort to create the unified Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). He returned to NASA at KSC in 1976 and resumed working in the Procurement office there until retiring in 1988.

After his retirement from NASA, he was hired by United Space Alliance, the Space Shuttle program contractor. He was the “old sage”, advising the Procurement department on contractual matters. In this role, his friendly and humorous nature made him the favorite advisor, and was especially liked by the younger new generation of space program workers who often liked to just “hang out” in Ed’s office.

Ed was a voracious reader of a variety of subjects. He was intelligent, intuitive, as well as kindhearted and friendly. He played trumpet in his high school marching band, he was also an accomplished guitar picker, and loved a variety of music. He loved fishing, especially trying (usually unsuccessfully) to land the elusive Merritt Island Canal Tarpon.

He coached several little league baseball teams for his sons and others. He also developed a talent following his father’s example in hand engraving. Using his father’s old engraver’s ball and tools, he practiced until he became quite good. He even developed a relationship with one of the local jeweler’s and was called upon for hard-to-find hand engraving work.

He had a unique, dry and ironic sense of humor, which was cherished by those who “got it”, but he also gloried in simple puns, tricks and jokes on his family, friends and co-workers.

His departure leaves an empty space that can never be filled, but those who knew him will always remember him fondly.

There will be a Celebration of Life on November 11, 2022 at 10:30 AM at St Luke’s Episcopal Church, located at 5555 N. Tropical Trail on North Merritt Island. Interment will take place on November 21, 2022 at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, FL. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St Luke’s Episcopal Church or St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.