(From Mason-Woodard Mortuary)Catherine Marie Brock passed away on October 29, 2026, at Westgate Nursing Facility at Wildwood Ranch in Joplin, Missouri, at the age of 77 years.
Catherine was born on November 27, 1948, in Picher, Oklahoma. She was the twelfth of thirteen children born to Robert Lee and Freda Leona (Cherry) Anderson. After her parents passed when she was still a child, she lived for many years with her older sister, Anna Lou (and Bob) Glover, and her nephews Eric and Dennis.
Catherine was the valedictorian of her graduating class at Picher (OK) High School in 1967, where she was part of the homecoming court as well as serving as the Pitcher Gorilla mascot, and she then went on to graduate from the Miami (OK) Beauty College in 1968. She was proud of her heritage and later submitted documentation to become an enrolled member of the Northern Cherokee Tribe of Missouri and Arkansas.
Catherine met the love of her life, Robert Dayton Brock (Bob) at Miami (OK) Christian Church where Bob was a student preacher and she led the music. They were married on August 21, 1971, one of the first weddings at the new Ozark Bible College chapel. Bob and Catherine shared over 54 years of marriage, until Bob’s passing on October 21, 2025, and they were blessed with 4 children. After Bob’s ordination, they served churches together in Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, Minnesota, and Indiana, before retiring back home in the Joplin area. Catherine could be found playing piano, leading choirs, teaching Sunday School, organizing musicals, coordinating potlucks, counseling those in need, and doing countless other things at each church where they served.
Throughout her life, Catherine was known for her hospitality and for her kindness, her love, and her care for everyone. Catherine’s legendary Thanksgiving dinners were a home away from home for everyone who had no family nearby, as Catherine continually demonstrated the love of Christ for everyone. Even more legendary were her annual Christmas Open House gatherings with more fudge, divinity, and Christmas candies than anyone could count. Day in and day out, her home was known as a place of peace, a respite for people in a troubled world, as she fed, encouraged, and poured herself out to serve everyone with love.
Catherine loved telling stories - long, meandering, and always entertaining - and her favorite stories were about all of her kids. She was a devoted mother, an adoring grandmother, and the official holder-of-all-babies at church on any given Sunday. Every kid at church knew that Mrs Brock always had lots of hugs and lots of candy in her purse. For her own kids and grandkids in particular, she loved to spoil them with gifts and with treats, and she was always the biggest champion for the things her kids and grandkids loved. She will be remembered for her love and kindness and a heart bigger than anyone could have ever imagined.
Catherine was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; her parents, Robert and Freda Anderson; her siblings: Raymond Lee Anderson, Teddy Lee Anderson, Carl Russell Anderson, Billy Ray Anderson, Betty Jane “Sissie” Phelps, Gordon Eugene Anderson, Anna Lou Glover, Barbara Sue Collins, Rosa Lea Dyer, Robert LeRoy Anderson, Freda JoAnn Anderson, and Ronald Dean Anderson.
She is survived by her children: Rob Brock (Lynda) of St. Paul, Minnesota, Paul Brock of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Josh Brock of Joplin, Missouri, and Anna Lance (Phillip) of Neosho, Missouri; and 11 grandchildren.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 11:00am in the Chapel of College Heights Christian Church in Joplin, Missouri.






