Robert Rock ’59

Bob died of a heart attack on the Saturday afternoon of Reunions, June 1, 2003.

Born in Aliquippa, Pa., Bob came to Princeton from Kiski Prep in 1950, withdrew to serve in the Navy during the Korean War, then returned in September 1955. A civil engineering major, Bob served as vice president of Key and Seal, and played both freshman and varsity football.

Bob's formal career was in construction, spending almost 25 years with Rutgers as a construction management engineer. But his informal career, and the one we knew, was as Princeton's number-one sports fan (he and Marion, his wife of almost 44 years, entertained and fed many members of the Princeton basketball teams for the last 35 years); our class's indomitable Reunions manager; and the unofficial mayor of the Princeton campus. It seemed like he knew everyone, and they knew him — from the University president to the cooks in the campus center.

Bob and Marion were fixtures on campus, often seen with one or more of their daughters. Bob exemplified Princeton, its spirit, and all the Princeton traditions we hold dear. The class is establishing a memorial in Bob's name.

To Marion, and daughters Ann, Kathy, and Phyllis, the class extends deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1959