Rock J. Lee

RAPID CITY — Rock J. Lee, 47, of Rapid City, died suddenly on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007, at his home. Born on Feb. 13, 1960, in Augsburg, Germany, he was the beloved son of Neil and Virginia (Mariage) Lee.

Rock graduated from Kalkaska High School in 1978 and attended Northwestern Michigan College Culinary Institute.

His vocation was a chef, working for Marriott Corp. and other hotels and resorts from Shanty Creek to Denver, Colo., to Washington DC, to Fort Wayne, Ind.

Rock married Claudia Rozenboom on May 5, 1993, in Alden.

A resident of Rapid City since 1967, Rock enjoyed hunting, fishing, mushroom hunting, camping, gardening and feeding wildlife. Rock loved people and socializing; he was kind, very generous and had a great since of humor. Rock was a member of the Rapid City Church of Christ.

Rock is survived by his wife, Claudia; his parents; and his brothers, Rick W. Lee of Yellowstone, Wyo., and Rory G. Lee of Beaverton, Ore. Also left to mourn his loss are Uncle Joe and Aunt Norma Mariage, Uncle Ron and Aunt Gloria Cox, Uncle Tracy and Aunt Sandy Mariage; 12 first cousins; Great-Aunt Stick Robinson; Great-Uncle Ford Robinson; his sisters-in-law; nieces, nephews and a multitude of extended family and close friends. He really like being called Uncle Rock by his nieces, nephews and children of his close friends.

Rock was happiest in the kitchen, in the woods, at family gatherings, on his pontoon boat with his beloved Claudia and a fishing pole in his hands, and in good weather mushroom hunting in the Beast (which is his old truck) with his mom.

Rock was predeceased by his grandparents, Gretchen and George Mariage, and Maude and Charles W. Lee; his Uncle George Mariage II and his Aunt Sally Vedder; as well as his parents-in-law.

Visitation will begin on Monday, Feb. 26, from 5 until 9 p.m., at Wolfe-O'Neill Funeral Home in Kalkaska. The funeral service will be on Tuesday at 11 a.m., at the funeral home.

Memorials may be given in memory of Rock to the Rapid City Church of Christ, PO Box 66, Rapid City, MI 49676.

Arrangements were made by Wolfe-O'Neill Funeral Home, our family serving yours.

This obituary was originally published in the Record-Eagle.