Obituary for Reverend Robert Lee Nock
Robert Lee Nock, the eldest son born to Matthew T. Nock and Elsie Collins Nock, was born on March 21, 1951, in Nelsonia, Virginia. His brothers, Ronnie, Daniel, and Larry (who predeceased him) looked up to him, especially since their mother passed when Robert was 15. Love and attention was given to the boys by their maternal grandparents, Rotha and Earnest Collins, their aunt, Deedee Collins and great-grandfather “Pa.” Not outdone, but shared love and attention also came from his paternal grandparents, William “Bill” and Mamie Nock, who made sure he grew up knowing and fearing God. After the passing of his mother, his father remarried and from this union came a brother, Kevin Nock and step-sister, Joan Wilson.
He gave his life to Christ at the age of 12, along with several of his young friends who were all lined up on the mourner’s bench during Revival Time at First Baptist Church in Mappsville, Virginia, during the pastorate of Rev. M. T. Boone. Bill and Mamie Nock had been “dragging” him to church when his feet could barely touch the ground, instilling in him even at a very young age, that Jesus Christ is the way. First Baptist was a good learning ground for him, and since he was told he could not sing, he joined the Junior Ushers’ Ministry and served as a soldier in God’s army.
His formal education began in the 2 room Mappsville School, where his first grade teacher, Mrs. Willis, taught him not only Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, but to be a good young man and to start now to prepare himself for life. He went on to T. C. Walker Elementary and Mary N. Smith High School, where he excelled in baseball and was told he could get a scholarship to attend Norfolk State College. However, 2 years before mandatory integration, he transferred to Parksley High School. There he met Yvonne Victoria Justice and while she was in the 11th grade, they were married and shared their lives for 52 years. After marriage, he joined fellowship with Metompkin Baptist Church with Yvonne. He and Yvonne shared parenthood to three special people, daughter, Tracy Nock, nephew, Rev. S. Anthony Justice, and granddaughter, Elise Alice Britt. Their first child, Linda Rochelle Nock, died of SIDS at 2 months of age. Robert also completed studies at the National Radio Institute (NRI) and Capital Radio Engineering Institute (CREI), where he received Associate Degrees.
In 1972, Robert began what he called “an illustrious career” at NASA, Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA, as an Electronics Technician. He started as a contractor working in the calibration lab for Joule Corporation. After 5 years, he began his stint as a government employee working for NASA in that same lab. After the supervisor retired, Robert became Head of the Metrology Section, Safety, and Quality Assurance Engineering Branch in June 1993. His career at NASA took him from east coast to west coast, along with working on a brand new Wind Tunnel Project at NASA Langley to projects at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to instructing classes in NASA safety. This employment at NASA spanned over 43 years. His grandfather, Bill Nock, taught him to dress and look the part, so you could hardly ever find Robert without his white shirt, cuff links, necktie, shined shoes, dress slacks, and his signature afro.
He loved community service, having served short terms on the Rural Health Board and the Planning District Commission. He got great enjoyment of service as the Chairman of the Accomack County Zoning Board of Appeals (BZA), serving with honesty and fairness. An equal pleasure began in 1992, as a member of the Board of Directors, Accomack and Northampton Electric Cooperative (ANEC) serving District 1. In the Co-op, he also held the office of Secretary/Treasurer, and as a member of the regional Finance Committee. He loved knowing how the Co-op worked and could best serve its members. Each time Robert was to be re-elected, he ran unopposed.
His community service, though, never held a candle to his service to God. While at Metompkin, Robert taught Sunday school and served as Chairman of the Deacons Ministry. He, along with Yvonne would open up their home to pastors for Sunday dinners, child-sitting, taxi, and just plain friendship and fellowship. He answered the “call to the gospel ministry” in 1994, and began taking classes at the Evans-Smith Institute of the School of Theology, Virginia Union University, graduating with an Associates Degree in May 1996. At the same time, he took classes at the Christian World College of Theology in Salisbury, Maryland, where in 2003 he received his Master of Ministry. He was also an instructor in Salisbury until his health began to fail. He was ordained to the gospel ministry in December 2002, having been called to pastor St. Mary’s Baptist Church in Jamesville, Virginia. This relationship proved to be a learning and growing experience for both Pastor and congregants. He and the church shared such a deep love and care for each other. It did not matter to him if there were 60 people or 6, the Word would go forth the same. His preaching style was one of teaching and Christian education. He often said the church helped him grow as much as he prayed the church was growing. Along with Pastor Harvey Davis, he co-founded the Joshua Academy of the Virginia-Maryland Baptist Association; a teaching engine for officers of the church.
Robert spent many hours in his specially appointed man cave. He enjoyed life and the things he was able to do and accomplish, whether it was almost solely building the house he and Yvonne shared, shooting pool, playing tennis, running and biking, flying lessons, driving his Suburbans listening to Motown, or sharing the Word of God to the people of God. His mother-in-law used to say he was different, and that, he was.
After enduring several years of illness, on Wednesday evening March 2, 2022, home alone with his wife Yvonne, God allowed his earthly body to slip peacefully from labor to reward. Left behind with memories galore are his wife of 52 years, Yvonne Justice Nock; daughter, Tracy; nephew, Rev. S. Anthony Justice; granddaughter and true love of his life, Elise Alice Britt; brothers, Ronnie (Dawn) Nock, Daniel (Joanne) Nock, and Kevin Nock; step-sister, Joan (Thornton) Wilson; nephews, Danny Nock, Jr. and James J. Banks; nieces, Chiquita Nock, Jessica Huffman, and Latoya Y. Banks; brother-in-law, Reginald (Tanya) Justice, Jr.; sisters-in-law, Sandra Justice and Loretta (Caldon) Curtis; a special cousin, Woody Davis, Jr.; special friends, Alvin and Renay Taylor; and a host of family and friends.
He gave his life to Christ at the age of 12, along with several of his young friends who were all lined up on the mourner’s bench during Revival Time at First Baptist Church in Mappsville, Virginia, during the pastorate of Rev. M. T. Boone. Bill and Mamie Nock had been “dragging” him to church when his feet could barely touch the ground, instilling in him even at a very young age, that Jesus Christ is the way. First Baptist was a good learning ground for him, and since he was told he could not sing, he joined the Junior Ushers’ Ministry and served as a soldier in God’s army.
His formal education began in the 2 room Mappsville School, where his first grade teacher, Mrs. Willis, taught him not only Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, but to be a good young man and to start now to prepare himself for life. He went on to T. C. Walker Elementary and Mary N. Smith High School, where he excelled in baseball and was told he could get a scholarship to attend Norfolk State College. However, 2 years before mandatory integration, he transferred to Parksley High School. There he met Yvonne Victoria Justice and while she was in the 11th grade, they were married and shared their lives for 52 years. After marriage, he joined fellowship with Metompkin Baptist Church with Yvonne. He and Yvonne shared parenthood to three special people, daughter, Tracy Nock, nephew, Rev. S. Anthony Justice, and granddaughter, Elise Alice Britt. Their first child, Linda Rochelle Nock, died of SIDS at 2 months of age. Robert also completed studies at the National Radio Institute (NRI) and Capital Radio Engineering Institute (CREI), where he received Associate Degrees.
In 1972, Robert began what he called “an illustrious career” at NASA, Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA, as an Electronics Technician. He started as a contractor working in the calibration lab for Joule Corporation. After 5 years, he began his stint as a government employee working for NASA in that same lab. After the supervisor retired, Robert became Head of the Metrology Section, Safety, and Quality Assurance Engineering Branch in June 1993. His career at NASA took him from east coast to west coast, along with working on a brand new Wind Tunnel Project at NASA Langley to projects at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to instructing classes in NASA safety. This employment at NASA spanned over 43 years. His grandfather, Bill Nock, taught him to dress and look the part, so you could hardly ever find Robert without his white shirt, cuff links, necktie, shined shoes, dress slacks, and his signature afro.
He loved community service, having served short terms on the Rural Health Board and the Planning District Commission. He got great enjoyment of service as the Chairman of the Accomack County Zoning Board of Appeals (BZA), serving with honesty and fairness. An equal pleasure began in 1992, as a member of the Board of Directors, Accomack and Northampton Electric Cooperative (ANEC) serving District 1. In the Co-op, he also held the office of Secretary/Treasurer, and as a member of the regional Finance Committee. He loved knowing how the Co-op worked and could best serve its members. Each time Robert was to be re-elected, he ran unopposed.
His community service, though, never held a candle to his service to God. While at Metompkin, Robert taught Sunday school and served as Chairman of the Deacons Ministry. He, along with Yvonne would open up their home to pastors for Sunday dinners, child-sitting, taxi, and just plain friendship and fellowship. He answered the “call to the gospel ministry” in 1994, and began taking classes at the Evans-Smith Institute of the School of Theology, Virginia Union University, graduating with an Associates Degree in May 1996. At the same time, he took classes at the Christian World College of Theology in Salisbury, Maryland, where in 2003 he received his Master of Ministry. He was also an instructor in Salisbury until his health began to fail. He was ordained to the gospel ministry in December 2002, having been called to pastor St. Mary’s Baptist Church in Jamesville, Virginia. This relationship proved to be a learning and growing experience for both Pastor and congregants. He and the church shared such a deep love and care for each other. It did not matter to him if there were 60 people or 6, the Word would go forth the same. His preaching style was one of teaching and Christian education. He often said the church helped him grow as much as he prayed the church was growing. Along with Pastor Harvey Davis, he co-founded the Joshua Academy of the Virginia-Maryland Baptist Association; a teaching engine for officers of the church.
Robert spent many hours in his specially appointed man cave. He enjoyed life and the things he was able to do and accomplish, whether it was almost solely building the house he and Yvonne shared, shooting pool, playing tennis, running and biking, flying lessons, driving his Suburbans listening to Motown, or sharing the Word of God to the people of God. His mother-in-law used to say he was different, and that, he was.
After enduring several years of illness, on Wednesday evening March 2, 2022, home alone with his wife Yvonne, God allowed his earthly body to slip peacefully from labor to reward. Left behind with memories galore are his wife of 52 years, Yvonne Justice Nock; daughter, Tracy; nephew, Rev. S. Anthony Justice; granddaughter and true love of his life, Elise Alice Britt; brothers, Ronnie (Dawn) Nock, Daniel (Joanne) Nock, and Kevin Nock; step-sister, Joan (Thornton) Wilson; nephews, Danny Nock, Jr. and James J. Banks; nieces, Chiquita Nock, Jessica Huffman, and Latoya Y. Banks; brother-in-law, Reginald (Tanya) Justice, Jr.; sisters-in-law, Sandra Justice and Loretta (Caldon) Curtis; a special cousin, Woody Davis, Jr.; special friends, Alvin and Renay Taylor; and a host of family and friends.