Funeral service for Billy Ray Rocka, 71, of Cushing will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 19, 2008, in the Dickie Allen Funeral Home Chapel in Cushing with Bro. Garrel Faulkner officiating. Burial will be in Redland Cemetery near Lilbert, Texas. Mr. Rocka died Thursday, July 18, 2008, in Cushing. He was born April 15, 1937, in Lilbert, Texas, to Martin Henry and Evie Jessie Whitaker Rocka. Mr. Rocka had lived in Cushing for 17 years and was a longtime school teacher and coach. He spent 16 years at Klein Middle School in Houston and the last 17 at Hudson Middle School. Mr. Rocka was Baptist and had served as a deacon and a song leader at the various churches where he was a member. He was preceded in death by his parents and by brothers, Carl D. Rocka and James W. Killebrew, as well as sisters, Mary Madison and Asterleen Klemenchuk. Survivors include his wife, Martha Ray Rocka of Cushing, Texas; sons and daughters-in-law, Jeffrey A. and Vicki Rocka of New Caney, Texas, and Darron C. and Christi Rocka of Spring, Texas; daughters and sons-in-law, Donna L. Rocka and Daniel E. Cantu of Nacogdoches, Texas, and Angela M. and Ryan E. Whittington of Cushing, Texas; sister, Onita Tyer of Lilbert, Texas; brother and sister-in-law, Kenneth and Dorothy Rocka of Lilbert, Texas; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Pallbearers will be Daniel Cantu, John Courtney, Chris Derryberry, Matthew Donnell, Greg Rocka and Ryan Whittington. Honorary pallbearers will be past and present students of Klein and Hudson middle schools.
Funeral service for Billy Ray Rocka, 71, of Cushing will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 19, 2008, in the Dickie Allen Funeral Home Chapel in Cushing with Bro. Garrel Faulkner officiating. Burial will be in Redland Cemetery near Lilbert, Texas. Mr. Rocka died Thursday, July 18, 2008, in Cushing. He was born April 15, 1937, in Lilbert, Texas, to Martin Henry and Evie Jessie Whitaker Rocka. Mr. Rocka had lived in Cushing for 17 years and was a longtime school teacher and coach. He spent 16 years at Klein Middle School in Houston and the last 17 at Hudson Middle School. Mr. Rocka was Baptist and had served as a deacon and a song leader at the various churches where he was a member. He was preceded in death by his parents and by brothers, Carl D. Rocka and James W. Killebrew, as well as sisters, Mary Madison and Asterleen Klemenchuk. Survivors include his wife, Martha Ray Rocka of Cushing, Texas; sons and daughters-in-law, Jeffrey A. and Vicki Rocka of New Caney, Texas, and Darron C. and Christi Rocka of Spring, Texas; daughters and sons-in-law, Donna L. Rocka and Daniel E. Cantu of Nacogdoches, Texas, and Angela M. and Ryan E. Whittington of Cushing, Texas; sister, Onita Tyer of Lilbert, Texas; brother and sister-in-law, Kenneth and Dorothy Rocka of Lilbert, Texas; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Pallbearers will be Daniel Cantu, John Courtney, Chris Derryberry, Matthew Donnell, Greg Rocka and Ryan Whittington. Honorary pallbearers will be past and present students of Klein and Hudson middle schools.
