Calvin Edward Mock

Calvin Edward Mock died peacefully on February 11, 2013 in Kansas City, Missouri. Cal was born March 14, 1921 in Kittanning, Pennsylvania and lived most of his life in Turtle Creek and later Monroeville, Pennsylvania. He was predeceased by his wife, Lois Jane (McCord) Mock, who died in 2011. He was also predeceased by his parents, Russell and Nan (Edwards) Mock and by all of his siblings, two brothers and six sisters. Cal is survived by his daughter, Karen Van Dyke, his son-in-law, Michael Van Dyke, four grandchildren, Kevin (Meghan) Van Dyke, Lauren Van Dyke, Cory Van Dyke and Ryan Van Dyke, and one great grandchild, Eamon Van Dyke. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Cal was a veteran of World War II serving with many men he had known growing up in the Pittsburgh area in a Tank Battalion of the Ninth Armored Division, nicknamed by the Germans as the “Phantom Division” during his time in action in 1944 and 1945, due to its ability to move so quickly and effectively between battles.

After crossing the Atlantic Ocean on the Queen Mary, he and his comrades entered combat in December 1944 in the Ardennes Forest to resist the Germans’ Von Rundstedt offensive at Bastogne and St. Vith. His tank crew was the only crew in his company of 14 tanks whose tank was still fully combat operational at the end of that winter offensive. After surviving the “Battle of the Bulge” he went with the Division forces along the Roer River, across the Cologne Plain toward the Rhine River and reached the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen so quickly that they surprised the German forces guarding the bridge who were unable to blow up the bridge before it was captured. In the days following the capture, thousands of American forces were able to cross into Germany. Racing into central Germany, the Division captured Limberg, Leipzig and reached Czechoslovakia by V.E. day. Cal remained as part of the occupational force for a time before being sent home, as he said, a “survivor, not a hero”!

When he returned home, he went back to work full time with the Union Railroad, a 200 plus locomotive engine railroad, that hauled iron ore and materials to U.S. Steel plants in Pennsylvania. In the 43 years that he worked at the Union Railroad, he rose through the ranks from an electrician to become part of railroad senior management eventually retiring as the manager of the railroad’s “roundhouse” located in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, which repaired, maintained and rebuilt all Union Railroad engines. Cal liked to “tinker” and during his time at Union Railroad, he “invented” various devices used in the roundhouse including a remote control device used to start, move and reposition engines in and around the roundhouse and the railroad yard.

Cal’s Pennsylvania roots were deep and his love of the Pirates and Steelers so strong that the only thing that could convince him to move to Kansas City was his and Jane’s desire to be close to Karen, Mike and the grandchildren. He lived in Kansas City for over 18 years, and provided a great example for, as well as full support and encouragement to, his family.

Despite his time in combat and over 43 years as a “railroader”, (experiences that might have hardened most of us) he was an extraordinarily kind and gentle man, always considerate, soft spoken and genuinely interested in the lives of others. He had numerous keepsakes and pictures from his time with the Army and the Union Railroad, but was so quiet that much of what his family learned about his time in the service and in the railroad initially came from others. He felt very blessed to have grown up in a loving family and to have survived the war, as many of his friends had not been so fortunate. He loved the Union Railroad and its people, his churches, Monroeville Christian and Country Club Christian, his lodge and, most of all, his family. Like so many of the members of the “Greatest Generation” who experienced and accomplished so much, he most enjoyed his role as father and grandfather, a role for which he was perfectly suited.

His grandchildren thank him for his special sense of humor , for his regular attendance at countless ball games and school events, for the special expeditions to the zoo (where his “favorite part” was the “Exit”!), for visits to the roundhouse to drive locomotive engines, for trips to Kennywood and Idlewild Parks in Pittsburgh, for reading us books at bed time (until he would fall asleep), for building work benches and birdhouses for us and for making us very popular with all of the kids in the neighborhood by building us our own backyard ice rink. He will be terribly missed by his family, who are comforted in knowing that he had done all he could here and is obviously needed elsewhere.

A visitation will be held beginning at noon, followed by a service at 1:00 PM, both to be held at Mount Moriah & Freeman Chapel, located at 10507 Holmes, Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday, February 15, 2013, followed by a burial with military honors. Those wishing to donate in his memory can do so by contributing to the Mock Family Scholarship at Avila University, located at 11901 Wornall Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64114.