Berkeleyan

Obituary
Kaye Bock

31 January 2007

Kaye Bock

Kaye Bock, a student-affairs officer in the Department of City and Regional Planning (DCRP) for more than 20 years, died in her sleep from unknown causes on Jan. 16 at her home in Richmond. She was 62.

Bock was born July 7, 1944, in Dallas, and spent her early years in that city following her adoption. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Dallas, then earned an M.A. with honors in English from Marquette University. Subsequent education included coursework toward a Ph.D. at Kent State University in Ohio; she also attended Pacific Lutheran Academy in the 1980s.

During her tenure in DCRP, which included receipt of the Chancellor's Outstanding Staff Award in 2004, Bock won the respect and affection of master's and doctoral students through her kindness and generosity. More than 100 remembrances of her have been posted to date on a memorial website, www.kaybock.net. They include testimonials such as these:

. "She knew well and cared deeply about every student before they were even a picture on the wall. She could unerringly assess their interests, talents, needs, and personalities and how they would fare in different situations. And because she cared so much, she could also, more than anyone, help them see how to do the right thing, if they needed that kind of counsel."

. "DCRP's heart has been wrenched out. Kaye touched all of our lives, and always for the better....If we all gave endlessly like she did, the world would be an amazing place."

. "She must have dealt with so much red tape at UC, yet her intelligence and resolve could make each student feel like a 'person' and not just another student caught up in the vast academic mayhem. We were all so very fortunate to have Kaye, as someone who really cared about people and was brilliant enough to see through the UC maze."

. "In a university where everybody seems too busy to care too much about the individuals, she always showed each of us how important we were for her and for the department. Kaye left us lessons of tolerance, flexibility, friendship, organization, and service to our community."

Kaye Bock was married in 1969 to Walter Bock; they later divorced. Her survivors include three grown children: David Bock, Deborah Bernardi, and Diana Bock; son-in-law Martin Bernardi; and two grandchildren.

A memorial gathering was held Jan. 17 in the Environmental Design Library. A funeral service took place in Richmond on Jan. 25.

In lieu of flowers, the Bock family has requested donations to the Kaye Bock Memorial Fund, to be established for graduate-student aid in DCRP. Donations payable to College of Environmental Design (with the memo notation "Kaye Bock Memorial Fund") may be sent to Department of City and Regional Planning, College of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley, 228 Wurster Hall #1850, Berkeley, CA 94720-1850.