Darrel Lee Brock

June 11, 1946 – December 23, 2022

Darrel Brock began life with his family on June 11, 1946, in Kingman, Kansas. He learned to play golf and tennis at an early age and was the star quarterback of his high school football team. Darrel later attended Florida State on a Tennis Scholarship. He joined the US Air Force soon after and worked in military intelligence while serving in Asia (Vietnam and the Philippines), Europe (Albania) and the Middle East (Lebanon). Darrel loved to travel and saw much of the world during his 20 years of military service.

After serving in the Air Force, Darrel worked as a mail carrier with the US Postal Service for a number of years. Darrel met Penny Byram in 1995 in Santa Ana where they were neighbors in a mobile home park. The two soon became friends and Darrel was treated like a member of her family. It was here that Darrel got involved in her Health Care business, helping Penny run and grow her company, Professional Health Care Services, Inc.

As Darrel had been in the Philippines during his military service, he was interested in spending more time there. With Penny’s help, Darrel lived another 10 plus years in the Philippines watching over and improving her properties there, and helping Penny do business in Valencia City, Mindanao, Philippines. He was known as “Jack” in the Philippines from the movie “Titanic”.

Darrel travelled frequently between the two countries. When he returned to the US from the Philippines, he would help Penny with her health care business. Darrel was an integral member of Penny’s health care team. He stepped up to help with the company’s administration, called and spoke with clients and their family members, provided transportation and sometimes hands-on assistance and care to clients when needed.

Darrel later accepted a security position with Universal Protection working at several high-rise office buildings owned by the Irvine Company in the Irvine Spectrum area. During his 10 plus years with Universal Protection, Darrel was well-liked by both the members of the security staff and by the numerous tenants of the buildings he helped to maintain and keep safe. He liked his job there and the people he worked with on a daily basis. He especially enjoyed being called an “Ambassador” and wearing his suits and ties every time he went to work.

Darrel’s favorite pastimes included gardening and growing varieties of plumeria and orchid plants, traveling, reading, playing the guitar and ukulele, playing tennis and golf, eating good food, especially Italian, drinking red wine with friends and listening to his favorite jazz station – KJAZZ 88.1 out of Cal State University, Long Beach (America’s Jazz and Blues Station).

Darrel was 76 when he passed away peacefully with his friends, Penny and Chris, at his bedside on December 23, 2022. He had been a longtime resident of Orange County in the cities of Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and Westminster. He is survived by his brother, Larry Brock of Kansas City, Kansas, his sister, Jackie, of Garden Grove, California, and several nieces and nephews. His genuine and witty conversations will be dearly missed by all of his friends and family.

Live plumeria and orchid plants are appreciated in lieu of any other donations or gifts to Darrel’s memory.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.westminstermemorial.net for the Brock family