High Point - Lois Jean Rock Keryluk, 86, went to her heavenly home on Friday, May 15, 2020 leaving this life surrounded by her family.
Lois was born in McHenry, Kentucky on October 23, 1933 to the late Leslie C. Rock and Hattie Ann Hoke. Her loving husband of over 60 years, Walter B. Keryluk; a brother, Robert John Rock, and a sister, Doris Rock Walters, preceded her in death.
In 1953, Lois earned her Associates Degree in Commerce from Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Michigan and worked for two years as a personal secretary to the president of WKMH, one of the Detroit area’s leading radio stations before marrying Walter in August 1955.
With Walter, she traveled the country and world, supporting him in his military service for the United States Air Force and in his career ambitions as an aeronautical engineer. Moving around the country and world is not something all women or wives would do, but Lois loved the change of pace and new adventures.
Although she was primarily a homemaker and mother of six children, Lois had great skills in business, financial accounting, investments and a strong sense of justice, which she applied while working part-time as a legal secretary, handling the accounting in Walter’s Greensboro business and working for Bell Helicopter while the family lived in Tehran, Iran for several years.
Lois’s selfless devotion, however, focused on her family – both immediate and extended. She was a disciplined, wise and organized mother to her children. She allowed them and her grandchildren to spread their wings, explore interests and master skills. If she wasn’t running kids to piano lessons, choir practice, swim classes or Saturday bowling leagues, she was enrolling someone in summer camp, pottery lessons, painting classes, and baking courses or cheering us on at baseball, basketball or volleyball games.
Her love for family extended to her parents, sisters, brother, cousins, aunts and uncles – both her own and Walter’s clan. She insisted on visiting Michigan family members twice a year so we’d all know our extended relatives and roots. When family visited her, she’d be “the hostess with the mostest,” always planning adventures, activities, special meals and events for family guests. Spending time with family and friends took precedence to Lois, and because of her meticulous and thoughtful efforts, we all have many memories of grand adventures, thrilling trips, great meals, lots of laughs, special holidays, cherished moments and meaningful conversations -- all thanks to Lois.
Lois loved sports and had a very competitive nature (maybe a little too competitive!), whether in her teens and young adult life playing tennis, ice skating or scoring for her basketball team. Later in life, she was an avid bowler, loved card games and scoring 250+ points to beat everyone in Scrabble.
Lois was also very patriotic and a bit of an American history buff, like Walter. She took her kids to national cemeteries to place flags and honor our country’s fallen on Memorial and Veteran’s Day. She helped us decorate bikes and dressed us up (sometimes to our embarrassment) as the Statue of Liberty, Abraham Lincoln and American dignitaries for the neighborhood’s Independence Day block parties. Lois also made it a point to visit Valley Forge National Park, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Boston Harbor, the Appalachian Trail and other historical sites, national landmarks and battlegrounds to educate us on our country’s history, rich heritage and natural beauty.
At Lois’s core was her deep faith in God. She was driven to make sure her six children and husband knew Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Often without help and with heels dragging, she persevered every Sunday to get her kids to church. She was devoted to her church family, often taught Sunday school and volunteered during vacation Bible school. We reassured her later in life that she did the best job God assigned her – she got her children and husband saved. God is well pleased, our faithful and loving mother Lois!
Those who will cherish Lois’s memories are her sister, Nancy Rock Zelek of Michigan, sister-in-law Leslie Rock of Michigan, son Tyler Drew Keryluk of Greensboro; five daughters, Laura Lee Orozco (and husband, Guillermo) of Florida, Carol Annette Blankenship (and husband, Bob) of High Point, Barbara Jo Keryluk of High Point, Donna Marie Buxton (and husband, Michael) of California, Doris Jean Gerrard (and husband Kerry) of Nevada; grandchildren Lillianna Simo, Megan Pineda, Daniel Blankenship, Cristie Anderson, Shelby Leoning, Joseph Bohland, Cody Gerrard and Christina McCollum; thirteen great-grandchildren; and nephews, nieces, cousins and extended family.
A celebration of Lois’s life will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, 2020 in the Chapel of Cumby Family Funeral Service at 1015 Eastchester Drive in High Point. Pastor Danny Sink Jr. from the First Christian Church of High Point will officiate.
A more formal memorial and internment service will be planned in Michigan at a future date.
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