Isle of Wight-Nansemond County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Brock, Raymond, 1954 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ RAYMOND BROCK I-W County Farmer Dies As Home Near Windsor Burns An Isle of Wight County farmer burned to death early Dec. 10, and his wife narrowly escaped with her life, when a fire destroyed their two-story house about five miles from Windsor on the Blackwater Road. The victim, who died in his rocking chair in the dining room was Raymond Brock, 48. His wife, Martha Lowe Brock, escaped when she was awakened by a neighbor who saw the flames and ran to her aid. According to a neighbor, Mrs. J.R. Whitley, the fire started about 11:30 P.M. Mrs. Brock had gone to bed about 7:30 and had left her husband sitting in a chair watching television. It is believed that the fire resulted when he fell asleep with a lighted cigarette. He was found still seated in the chair. Neighbors believe he was overcome by the smoke and was unable to save himself. Another neighbor, B.S. Duck, who lives about 100 yards from the Brock home, said he looked out of his window about 11:30 P.M. and saw what appeared to be an orange light in the Brock home. He went outside for a close look and discovered the fire. Duck said he ran to the Brock house and tried to get in the front door but flames drove him back. He then went around to Mrs. Brock's bedroom on the first floor and yelled for her to get up. Mrs. Brock tried to save her husband but also was driven back by the flames. After getting Mrs. Brock up, Duck said he ran across the road to the Whitley house, some 300 yards away, and had them call the Windsor Fire Department. Both the Windsor and Ivor fire departments went to the scene, but the house was burned too badly to save. After trying to save her husband, Mrs. Brock got in the car and drove to seek aid. Whitley tried to get into the house by kicking the window out, but the flames drove him back. Whitley said he called to Mr. Brock and heard him call, "Oh, Lord," and then all was quiet except the roaring of the flame. The farmer had sold a load of peanuts and is believed to have had the money in his pockets, the neighbors said. Mrs. Brock is now staying with Mr. Brock's sister, Mrs. N. Williams, near Walters. The only articles saved were some clothing and porch furniture. Firemen saved the outbuildings by spraying them with water. The house was reported to have been insured. Mr. Brock was a native of Isle of Wight County. Surviving besides his wife are a son, Garland Brock; four brothers, Linwood Brock of Carrsville; William Brock of Chuckatuck; Gavin Brock of Kenbridge; and Marshall Brock of Sedley; two sisters, Mrs. Annie Carr of Sedley and Mrs. E.C. Williams of Carrsville; and three grandchildren. He was a son of the late Noah and Maggie Stakes* Brock, of Isle of Wight County. He was a member of Tucker Swamp Baptist Church. Funeral services were held Sunday at 2 P.M. at the Tucker Swamp Baptist Church, with the Rev. L.E. Holzbach, pastor, officiating. Burial was in Holly Lawn Cemetery, Suffolk. Norfolk Virginian-Pilot ****************************************************************************** ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY FARMER FATALLY BURNED IN BLAZE THAT DESTROYS HOME A lighted cigarette may have been responsible for the death of Raymond Brock, 48, Isle of Wight County farmer, early Friday morning, December 10. Brock was burned to death in a midnight fire that destroyed his two-story frame residence on the Blackwater Road. He died in a rocking chair in the dining room, where he had been watching television. His wife, Mrs. Martha Lowe Brock, escaped from the house after she had been awakened by a neighbor. She had gone to bed before 8 o’clock, leaving her husband alone in the dining room. It is believed that Brock fell asleep while smoking a cigarette. Foiled by the heat in an attempt to save her husband, Mrs. Brock drove in the family car to the residence of D.F. Whitley in quest of aid. Whitley tried to enter the house by kicking in a window; but he too was blocked by the flames. According to a neighbor, Mrs. J.R. Whitley, the fire started about 11:30. This was confirmed by another neighbor, B.S. Duck, who lives about 100 yards from the Brock home. Duck was quoted as saying that he ran to the Brock home and tried to enter the front door. Driven back by the flames, he ran around to the Brock’s bedroom on the first floor and managed to wake her up. She attempted without avail to enter the room where her husband was. Responding to the call for assistance were the Windsor and Ivor volunteer fire departments, which finding the blaze beyond control, saved the out- buildings by wetting them down. A native of Isle of Wight County, Brock was a son of the late Noah and Maggie Stakes* Brock. He was a member of the Tucker Swamp Baptist Church. Besides his wife he is survived by a son, Garland Brock; four brothers, Linwood Brock of Carrsville, William Brock of Churckatuck, Gavin Brock of Kenbridge, and Marshall Brock of Sedley; and two sisters, Mrs. Annie Carr of Sedley and Mrs. E.C. Williams of Carrsville. Funeral services were conducted at the Tucker Swamp Baptist Church on Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock by Rev. L.E. Holzbach, pastor. Burial was in Holly Lawn Cemetery, Suffolk. Pallbearers were Woodrow Cobb, Lonnie Harrell, Julian Jenkins, Jr., Frank Johnson, Loftin Rhodes and David Whitley. Raymond BROCK, farmer, b. 18 Jun 1906, Isle of Wight Co., consumed in fire 9 Dec 1954, at home, interred in Holly Lawn Cemetery*, Suffolk, 12 Dec 1954, "Smithfield (VA) Times," Vol. 39, No. 27, Thurs., Dec. 16, 1954, p. 1; "Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Thurs., Dec. 16, 1954 *Additional information: Holly Lawn list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/hollyln.txt Photos of his gravestone - added by Denise Bush - are posted with Find a Grave Memorial #53766903. His widow 2m. Norman F. PIPPINS, 5 May 1955, in Pasquotank Co., NC. She is buried in Colosse Baptist Church Cemetery, Collosse. Isle of Wight County Historical Society {IWCHS} Grave Site Survey Task Force {GSSTF} report #44: http://www.iwchs.com/Cemetery-Reports.html Raymond's parents are buried in Beaver Dam Baptist Church Cemetery, near Carrsville. His mother's maiden name appears as STATE on their monument. GSSTF report #42 Beaver Dam list, another extension of the SCHS Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/cemeteries/mtcarmel.txt However, her maiden name also appears as STATES, in other records. Raymond's D.Cert. 28006 (Zuni #4) gives her as Maggie STAKES. Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager Matt Harris. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/obits/b620r4ob.txt