While working with the youth group at Seagate Baptist Church, Stephen Talmadge “Tally” Brock and his wife, Sylvia, heard of a boy within the group who needed a place to stay, so they invited him into their home. Mr. and Mrs. Brock enjoyed having an extra child in their home so much they became foster parents, helping more than 50 children in the span of 15 years.
Mr. Brock, died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015, at the age of 80.
Mrs. Brock remembers many ups and downs throughout their time as foster parents, she as the “worker” and him as the “lover.” Mr. Brock loved to sing and read to the children they fostered.
“He had children in his lap all the time,” Mrs. Brock laughed. “He just loved to love the children.”
The kids called Mr. and Mrs. Brock “PawPaw” and “MawMaw” and their house was always full of children, Mrs. Brock said. Some of the children came from one of the two daycares the Brock family lived between. When the daycares closed at the end of the day, the children still there would go to the Brocks’ home until their parents or guardians came to pick them up. One child, a runaway, was brought to the Brock family in the middle of the night. He ate breakfast with the family the next morning before being returned to his home.
Mrs. Brock said some of the children stayed longer than others, some being sent back to their homes, some going to live with relatives and others being adopted.
“It [wasn’t] easy to give them up,” Mrs. Brock said.
She knew when a child came into their home they would eventually leave, similarly to her own children who would eventually leave for school or to create their own families. What she and Mr. Brock always kept in mind was to love the children, give them a home and try to change something for the better in their lives while Mr. and Mrs. Brock took care of them.
He was born June 13, 1934, in Wilmington, son of the late William Amos Brock and Mary Sneeden Brock.
Mr. Brock is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sylvia Griffith Brock; daughters, Missy Reynolds and Amanda Hood; sons, Matt Burkie and Charlie Brock; two grandsons, Kris Brock and Tyler Chance; two granddaughters, Dorothy and Sydney Reynolds; and his special black toy poodle, Emma Lou, who was his shadow and loved him very much. He is also survived by his many (over 50) foster children.
He was preceded in death by his son, Steve Brock and brother, William “JuneBug” Brock.
A celebration of life ceremony was held Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, at Wilmington Funeral & Cremation Chapel officiated by the Rev. Billy Batten.
In lieu of flowers, join Tally and his family by donating to the Wounded Warrior Project in his name.
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Amanda Thames is the obituary writer for Port City Daily. Reach her at 910-772-6319 or [email protected].
