Martha Barker Rocks

Martha “Marti” Barker Shollenberger Rocks, 79, died Saturday, November 12, 2022 peacefully at her home after a battle with cancer.
Born in the South Shore of Chicago, IL and raised in the Greater Chicago area. She went on to live in Boston, Massachusetts, New York City, New York, Plainfield, NJ, Mansfield, Ohio, Marshall, Michigan, Marion, Ohio and settled the remainder of her days in Delaware, Ohio. Finding something or someone to love in all those places!
She had a unique education, going to Boarding School at Ferry Hall and then moving on to the women’s executive business college Katie Gibbs. Her first jobs were at J. Walter Thompson and then later Encyclopedia Brittanica in NYC.
Never one to sit still, she had many other jobs over the years; mother, housewife, caregiver, home health aide, retail sales, food demonstration, cleaning business, wallpaper hanger, Safelite Autoglass and H&R Block. Finally retiring at 76 years old.
Marti met the love of her life Brendan Rocks while she was living in NYC. She always claimed he was her best souvenir.
They married in Chicago on May 18, 1968 and celebrated 42 years of marriage and memories together. Their greatest adventure came on February 7, 1970 when they had their daughter Suzanne. Their life would never be the same, but the three of them enjoyed many adventures that none of them would want to live without.
Traveling was her favorite recreation. She was always looking for a way to get to know a new area and see old places in a new light. Family vacations were often planned around the nearest body of water and the closest restaurant. Known as the “white box lady” on several trips; no bakery was safe when she was around. She loved crafting having done toll painting, oil painting, stenciling, silk flower making & amp; arranging and macramé. Architecture, history, government, decorating, shopping, watching movies and curling up with a good book were all things that she loved to spend time on.
A little known fact was that she loved dancing and used to be able to cut a rug with her Dad in the ballroom or dance a mean jitterbug with the girls at school.
Her most prized accomplishment was her relationship with her Heavenly Father Jehovah God. Marti dedicated her life to Jehovah God and got baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in July of 1975. She wasted no time in digging into the preaching and teaching work; starting at home with Brendan and Suzy with success! Helping others to come to a knowledge of the Bible and Jehovah God was one of her most favorite things; it was one of the things that she made a priority as long as she could till her death. We can still hear her say, “I want to set a good example and help lead people to Him as long as I can.”
Marti was preceded in death by her beloved husband Brendan Rocks, her parents Robert Powers Shollenberger Sr. and Martha Jean Defebaugh Shollenberger, her brother Robert “Robbie” Powers Shollenberger Jr., her sister-in-law Christine Shollenberger, her brother-in-law Michael Garcia and her grandparents.
She is survived by her daughter Suzanne “Suzy” (Michael) Walker, her sister Carole Shollenberger, her nieces Holly (Tony) Ory, Elizabeth (Michael) Botico, Kirsten Garcia and nephew Robert (Rebecca) Powers Shollenberger III and various great nephews and a great niece. Not to be left out were her various friends that she enjoyed spending time with over the years; too many to mention but all special to her; finding a way into her heart to treasure for eternity.
Donations can be made to Jehovah's Witnesses using the jw.org. or you can use the search feature to get practical help in dealing with grief, death, dying and hope for the future.
A Marti Rocks Memorial Talk is planned for Saturday, December 3, 2022, at 3:00 PM. The In-person location: Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 3102 Baker Rd Delaware, Ohio 43015. The Remote connection opening at 2pm: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/822011778686 Meeting ID: 822 0177 8686 Passcode: 242944.