Frank E. DeRocker

Frank E. DeRocker, 93, formerly of Coal Valley, Ill., died Tuesday, August 15, 2006, at Good Samaritan Village, Geneseo, Ill.
Funeral services will be noon Saturday, August 19, 2006, with a visitation one hour prior at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd., 6601 38th Ave., Moline. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, East Moline. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Church, Rock Island, or St. Malachy's Church & School, Geneseo, Ill.
Frank was born January 21, 1913, in Rock Island, a son of Edmond and Marie DeRocker. He married Irene Van Hulle on August 9, 1934, in Moline. She preceded him in death in September 2004.
Frank graduated from Rock Island High School. He graduated from Bradley University, Peoria, Ill., with a B.E. degree. He took graduate courses at the University of Hawaii, with a Master's Degree from the University of Missouri. He took special courses of study at Augustana College, Western Illinois University, Illinois State University at Normal, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and the University of Illinois.
Before returning to Rock Island County, he taught in the Territorial Schools of Hawaii, was a vocational coordinator and a teacher at Helena High School, Helena, Ark., where he also coached the girls high school basketball team and where they won the 1938 Arkansas State Championship. He was a consultant at Statesboro and Tifton, Georgia Colleges and was a principal at Brentwood High School, Brentwood, Mo.
On April 15, 1946, he became superintendent and principal of Rock Island County Farm Home and School for Boys. Later the name changed to Arrowhead Ranch. His wife, Irene, was the bookkeeper, cook, house mother, and had other duties at the Boys Home. He was first superintendent of the Home and principal of the School from April 1946 through June 1959. Frank continued on as a board member from July 1959 to September 1990.
After leaving Arrowhead, he was principal at Coal Valley Junior High, Wilson Junior High and Ericsson Elementary. He was instrumental in starting the bilingual (Spanish) program at Ericsson Elementary. He retired in June 1970 after having completed 36 years in the field of education.
Frank was a long time member of the Moline Rotary, having 38 years of perfect attendance.
He loved spending time with family and enjoyed fishing, gardening, traveling, playing cards with friends, golfing (he was a former caddy at the Rock Island Arsenal), hunting (especially in his earlier years), and the outdoors in general.
Survivors include daughters, Carol Hardin, Moline, and Nancy M. Boehm, Eau Claire, Wis.; grandchildren, Heather Irene (David) Minssen, Prophetstown, Ill., and Justin Frank (Amy) Hardin, Annawan, Ill.; three great-grandchildren, Grant, Sydney and Jackson Minssen, Prophetstown, Ill.; nieces, Jane (Jack) Showalter, Rock Island, and Jean Jerman, Indianapolis, Ind.; nephew, Bill (Joy) DeRocker, Zionsville, Ind.; and other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, two brothers, Medard DeRocker and William DeRocker, and niece, Devee (DeRocker) Gingrich. Online condolences may be expressed to Frank's family by visiting his obituary at www.esterdahlmortuary.com.