Darrel E. Rocke , 79, of Sellersville, PA, died suddenly on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at his home.

He was the loving husband of Jo Anne (Histand) Rocke for 55 years. Darrel was born in Wauseon, Ohio, to the late Glenn Emmanuel Rocke and the late Ina V. (Rowell) Rocke.

The family moved to Kasai Province in what is now Democratic Republic of Congo, where he lived until Independence in 1960. He attended school there at Ecole Belle Vue in Kajiji. He was fluent in Tshiluba, a trade language in the area.

After moving to the U. S. he attended Morton High School in Morton, Illinois, graduating with the class of 1963; he then graduated from Greenville College with a BA in History in 1967. He had been active there in choir, drama, and the tennis team.

He met his wife while serving as a 1-W at Oaklawn Psychiatric Center, Elkhart, Indiana. They were married in 1969. Upon completion of his service the couple bicycled in Europe, visiting a friends in Berlin. They then traveled by bus and train to Tabriz, Iran to visit another friend. After further travels in India, they settled in Charlottesville, Virginia. There they both found employment and sang with the University of Virginia community chorus.

In 1973, they had their first son, Ved.  The family moved to Sellersville, Bucks County, PA., shortly thereafter. Their second son, Roy, was born in l980. Darrel taught himself the building trades by demolishing a nearby house and re-purposing the resulting materials, (and other, recycled and new), into a structure that became their home. Darrel was eventually self-employed as a custom carpenter and arborist for many years. He retired in 2014.

He was a long-time patron of Indian Valley Public Library in Telford, where he volunteered to the care of the gardens since around 2010. In addition to the garden work there he was a regular participant of Socrates Cafe. It was through a book, Bel Canto, (read by the library's Thursday Evening Book Discussion group which he also participated in), that Darrel realized he wanted music in his life again. He joined the North Pennsmen Barbershop Chorus. He was a member of the of Barbershop Harmony Society, he sang baritone and tenor with the North Pennsmen, of Lansdale for 18 years. He was also a member of Heritage Conservancy of Doylestown.

He attended the Richland Friends Meeting, Quakertown.

He enjoyed gardening, arboriculture, philosophy, history, books and singing, among many other interests.

In addition to his wife Jo Anne, he is survived by their two sons, Ved  K. Rocke & wife Rachael Garcia, Hawthorne, CA, and LeRoy S. Rocke of Sellersville, PA; his two brothers, David G. & wife Cathie (Bear) Rocke of Ames, Iowa, and Keith I. Rocke & partner Mary Boggs-Lambert of Fort Wayne, Indiana. He's also survived by his brother-in-law James L. & wife Marlene (Shovestull) Histand, Surprize, Arizona, and brother-in-law Larry G. Bond, Castleton,Vermont; 16 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his brother Leland E. Rocke, and sister-in-law Virginia Carol (Histand) Bond.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to North Pennsmen, P. O. Box 1401, Lansdale or Heritage Conservancy, 85 Old Dublin Pike, Doylestown, PA 18901.

Arrangements by: Anders-Detweiler Funeral Home & Crematory, 130 East Broad Street, Souderton, Pennsylvania 18964. To send online condolences to the family, visit www.andersfh.com