Gloria Darlene Rock

Gloria Darlene (Luft) Rock, 88, passed away on May 30th, 2026. Gloria, known to most as Darlene, was born to Alex Luft and Dolly (Stertz) Luft on July 9th, 1937 in Sterling, Colorado, the second of three children.

Darlene was well known in her youth as an exceptional softball player. She told her grandchildren that when Robert first approached her about a date that she turned him down, as she was too busy playing ball and didn’t have time for a boyfriend.

Robert won out however, and on July 23rd, 1961 Darlene and Robert Lee Rock were wed in Sterling, Colorado. In 1962 the couple moved to Iliff where they welcomed their first child, Bradley Allen. Younger brother Darryl Lee followed in 1963 and sister Teri Lynn in 1965.

Many knew Darlene from her time working at Commercial Bank in Sterling (1955-1962). An avid conversationalist, she thrived in social settings and continued working with the public in 1968 at Colorado National Bank Sterling and - after relocating to Brighton - at Colorado National Bank Northeast until 1989.

The family relocated to Brighton, Colorado in 1980. They were active at Zion Lutheran Church and took an active role helping with the grandchildren. Darlene could often be found in their kitchen surrounded by canning jars, pressure cookers, and vegetables from Robert’s garden.

Darlene slowed down after suffering a stroke in 1995, yet always managed to find something to keep her busy, often cooking and baking for her family and friends. Her banana and zucchini breads – Grandma Bread as her boys called it – was enjoyed by many.

After Robert’s passing Darlene relocated to Wray, Colorado where she was able to watch Alex and Audrey’s three boys and later Mike and Amanda’s little boy grow. How she loved ‘her boys’.

Darlene is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Robert, brother Albert E. Luft, brothers-in-law Albert Lee McCarty and Tony Scholl, sister-in-law Alice Scholl.

She is survived by her sister Norma McCarty of Van, Texas, sister-in-law Loretta Luft, her 3 children Brad (Marla) Rock of Wray, Colorado, Darryl Rock of various state parks across the US, and Teri (Ben) Hein of Fairbury, NE, her 4 grandchildren Alex (Audrey) Rock and Amanda (Mike) Kerbs, Damian Rock, and Austin (Roma) Rock, and her 4 great-grandchildren Hesten, Holten, and Hatcher Rock, and Max Kerbs.

Funeral Service to be held June 8th at 10am at Calvary Lutheran Church, 518 Dexter Street in Wray, Colorado. Graveside Service to follow at 1:30pm at Riverside Cemetery, Sterling, Colorado. Viewing prior to service.