Charles Owen Rock

Charles Owen Rock, age 73, died unexpectedly on September 22, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee. Born in Baltimore to Raymond Rock and Ann Riffee, Chuck received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Tennessee at the Biology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Chuck dedicated his life’s work to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a faculty member in the Department of Host-Microbe Interactions, as well as a principal investigator of the National Institutes of Health. Chuck was passionate about biochemistry and made breakthrough discoveries that led to the development of a novel antibiotic and a potential treatment for pediatric metabolic diseases. His research also compelled the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ban the anti-bacterial triclosan from consumer products. Rock’s scientific talent was recognized not only by his friends and colleagues at St. Jude but also by the entire biomedical community as he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Chuck had unending curiosity. He enjoyed nature photography, golf, video games, coaching, chess and civil war history, and was recently promoted to Grandpa. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne Jackowski Rock, his son Andrew, his sister Jane, and his granddaughter Savannah. A memorial service will be held at Memphis Funeral Home on Poplar Avenue on October 28 at 2:00 pm, preceded by visitation from 1:00-2:00 pm and followed by a reception until 5:00 pm. Donations in honor of Charles O. Rock may be sent to ALSAC-St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Wolf River Conservancy.

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