Obituary of Brock J. Decker

Brock J. Decker, 94, died at his home in Surf City, NJ following a long illness on Tuesday August 5, 2014, just 11 days after celebrating his 72nd wedding anniversary to his loving wife Phyllis. He was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania and grew up in Dover, NJ. He married his wife Phyllis R. Hopler on July 25, 1942 and they moved to Wharton, NJ. He served in the Army in Europe during World War II as a bomb disposal technician, the forerunner of modern day explosive ordnance disposal. Upon his return, he and Phyllis settled in Victory Gardens, NJ, a town created and funded by the Federal Government for war industry employees and later populated mainly by WWII veterans and their families. In the 1950’s the family moved several blocks to neighboring Randolph, NJ. Brock was a career civil servant, working for over thirty years for the Federal Government at the Picatinny Arsenal and retiring in 1976 as the Chief of Coordination and Planning for the Industrial Operations Directorate. Following his retirement, Brock stayed busy restoring classic sports cars, fishing, playing Pinochle, and spending time with his family. Longtime annual renters on Long Beach Island, Brock and Phyllis purchased their home in Surf City in the early 1980’s and moved to the island full time in 1987. Brock’s passion was surf fishing at the shore, and he rejoiced each September when the shoobies left and the Stripers returned. Brock combined his love of surf casting and of tinkering by starting a business making and repairing custom fishing rods. His beautiful work could be found in many of the island’s bait and tackle shops, and many a fisherman in need of a repair was directed to the garage behind the house on 25th Street. He is survived by his wife Phyllis R. Hopler Decker as well as his two sons and their wives; Jay and Linda Decker of Rockaway Twp. and Chris and Helen Decker of Tenafly, NJ. He is also survived by his nine grandchildren; Bryan and Jennifer Gavin Decker of Brookline, Ma., Jay and Karen Decker of Mt. Arlington, NJ, Brit and Michael Garrison of Fairhaven, NJ, Eric and Melissa Decker of Westfield, NJ, Cassandra Decker of Flemington, NJ, Amy Decker of Brooklyn, NY, Alex Decker of Randolph, NJ, and Mackenzie Decker and Devin Decker both of Succasunna, NJ. He has seven great grandchildren as well Nell, Pearl, Arabella, Ashton, Brock, Grant and Owen. Funeral Services, to be held at a later date, will be private.