Rebecca E. Rothrock

December 7, 1926 - November 21, 2019

Rebecca E Rothrock, 92, of McPherson, Kansas, passed away at 1:55 a.m., Thursday, November 21st, 2019 peacefully, at Cedars Health Care Center, McPherson, Kansas. Rebecca Ellen Rothrock was born in Davenport, Iowa, to Robert and Minnie Ethel (Long) Spear on December 7, 1926. She was one of three children born to this union, two sons and one daughter, Virgil, Wilmer also known as "Willie" and Rebecca. The family moved soon after her birth to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where she attended the elementary schools and graduated from High School. She then attended and graduated from McPherson College in 1948 with a degree in Home Economics. Rebecca Spear was united in marriage to Dayton G. Rothrock on June 2, 1948, at the Cedars Rapids, Iowa, Church of the Brethren. This union was blessed with the birth of three sons, Terry, Craig, and LaMonte. Rebecca followed and supported Dayton with his work and continued education at the University of Colrado, and University of Nebraska, prior to moving to McPherson in 1957. While in McPherson Rebecca continued her support with Daytons work at Stanford, Arizona State, Cheltenham England. The family transferred their membership to the McPherson Church of the Brethren where Rebecca played piano, organ, directed youth choir, and sang in the church choir for over 40 years. Through the years Rebecca taught music, home economics, was a piano teacher and a homemaker. She was a great homemaker and the family never came home where there was not something baking or items processed from all the fruits and vegetables from their garden. She was very proud of her sons and always wanted the best for them. She was especially fond of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren always looking forward to their visits and times they would share together. She was preceded in death by her parents, Minnie and Robert Spear; her husband Dayton; and her brothers, Virgil and Willie Spear; and was the last in her generation on both sides of the family. Surviving family members include her three sons, Terry Rothrock and his wife Chinlee of Idyllwild, California, Craig Rothrock and wife Pam of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and LaMonte Rothrock and wife Brenda, of McPherson; four grandsons; five great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews, other relatives and a host of friends. The memorial service will be held at the McPherson Church of the Brethren on Friday, December 20, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. with the Reverends Kathryn and Chris Whitacre officiating. The final resting place will be at the McPherson Cemetery, McPherson, Kansas. Memorials are suggested to the Cedars Transportation Challenge in memory of Rebecca. This is to purchase new transportation for its residents and they can be sent in care of the Glidden - Ediger Funeral Home; 222 West Euclid Street; McPherson, Kansas 67460.