Harry Blackwell Brock III

Buck was born on April 9th, 1955 in Rochester, NY to Jane Hollock Brock and Harry Blackwell Brock, Jr. He spent his childhood in Mountain Brook, AL, graduating from Mountain Brook High School in 1973. In his youth, he enjoyed roaming in the woods and canoeing the waterways of central Alabama shooting fish, beavers and muskrats with his bow and arrow.

He attended the University of Alabama, where he was an ATO, graduating with a degree in Finance. While in Tuscaloosa he met Nancy Jacks, the love of his life and wife of 47 years, at an Alabama basketball game.

After graduating and marrying Nancy, Buck joined Central Bank of the South in Birmingham, and became the proud father of two daughters, Abby and Jane. In 1985, He became President of Central Bank of Huntsville, later becoming President of Compass Bank in Birmingham.

He left Compass to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors including owning a string of Express Oil Change stores and brokering corporate jets.

The pinnacle of Buck’s professional career was his relationship with Samford University where he began as a trustee in 1998. He later joined the administration in 2007 and served for fifteen years as Executive Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs. He retired from Samford in the summer of 2022.

He was a member of many boards, the President of a few and a deacon at Mountain Brook Baptist Church. Buck’s careers and charitable interests led to lifetime friendships that he treasured.

Buck was many things and wore many hats. He was adventuresome, as well as mischievous. A combination that made for a rich and varied life. He was a state champion archer, a catcher, a pilot, a diver, a water skier, a snow skier, a golfer, a fly fisherman and an avid hunter. He tried his hand at taxidermy, photography, carpentry, hang gliding, bull fighting, barrel racing, scuba diving, spelunking, polo, and French braiding.

He loved milkshakes, banana popsicles, cookie dough straight from the bowl, and was always searching for the perfect crème brûlée. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend. His favorite place to be was at his farm.

He was preceded in death by his father. He is survived by his mother; his wife Nancy Jacks Brock; his daughter Abby Brock Santiago, her husband José and their sons Julian and Oscar; his daughter Jane Brock Yearwood, her husband Ryan and their daughter Ruth; his brother Stanley Hollock Brock (Brenda); his sister Barrett Brock MacKay (Rick) and a host of nieces, nephews and other family.

A memorial service will be held at 10 o’clock on Thursday morning, November 9th at Mountain Brook Baptist, followed immediately by visitation at the church in Hudson Hall.

The Christian mission of Samford University was close to Buck’s heart and he desired that any charitable donations made in his memory go to the Buck and Nancy Brock Scholarship at Samford University School of Public Health.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.johnsridoutselmwoodchapel.com for the Brock family.