Robert "Rock" Edmund Kershaw Jr.

Rock Kershaw passed away peacefully on September 27, 2026, at the age of 80, at Hillside Nursing & Rehab in Wake Forest, NC, following a brief illness with pneumonia and a courageous two-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Rock was a longtime resident of Raleigh, NC. He was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, on December 4, 1945, and spent his childhood in Key West, Florida, before his family returned to State College, PA. He graduated from State College Area High School in 1963 and earned his bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in 1967. He moved to Greenville, NC, with his lifelong friend and fellow artist Jerry Johnson, to pursue a master’s degree in fine arts at East Carolina University. In the first week of art classes, Rock spied a beautiful redhead across the room and began sketching her. He was smitten to the core with North Carolina native Vivian Carol Mallard, and on May 29, 1971, Rock and Vive were married in a meadow.

Rock was fine in academics but gifted in painting and assemblage. He graduated from ECU School of Art and Design in 1970 with an MFA in painting and sculpture, then taught art history at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke from 1970 to 1975. He spent much of his career managing theaters and arts centers in North Carolina, Chicago, and Texas. He worked on two famous North Carolina outdoor dramas, first as the founding general manager for “Strike at the Wind!” about the Lumbee Tribe in Robeson County, and later “The Lost Colony” in Manteo. As director of the Marshall Performing Arts Center in Texas, he presented artists like Ray Charles, David Copperfield, Ricky Skaggs, Lily Tomlin, and Doc Watson. Once his red hair turned white, he spent 20-plus years as a professional Santa Claus, bringing Christmas joy to children of all ages.

In 1988, Rock, Vive, and their two children moved to Raleigh, where Rock served as director of Artspace and launched the city’s First Friday Gallery Walk, a downtown tradition still enjoyed today.

Rock loved art and artists. He was a prolific creator, collector, and curator. His paintings and drawings featured animals and portraits, with dots and lots of color, evoking a sense of romance and humor. He designed one-of-a-kind denim jackets decorated with patches and embroidery, and created baroque, story-driven beaded necklaces. Like the ancient Egyptian scribes, he abhorred empty spaces and surrounded himself with a wonderful collection of artifacts. He enjoyed collecting Russian icons, mother-and-child paintings, antique Persian rugs, Central American huipils, global and folk art, coins, stamps, fountain pens, patches, lava lamps, and flea market treasures. Each time he needed a new dental crown, he asked his dentist to put tiny images on them, like a bumblebee, skull-and-crossbones, candy cane, and a red heart. Rock loved collaborating with other artists. He recruited photographers, jewelers, clothing designers, tailors, models, musicians, and rugged individuals to help curate art exhibits, performances, and fashion shows.

He volunteered as a radio program host through Triangle Reading Service for people who are blind or print-impaired, and became an audio describer for Arts Access NC, where he described dozens of plays, films, and ballets for the blind. He performed in Justice Theater Project’s production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” He was proud to serve Wake County voters and the Board of Elections as a precinct official.

Rock will be remembered for his wild, creative spirit and his admirable ability to connect with unique people from all walks of life, from the coffee shop to the stage. He considered himself a matchmaker, both romantically and professionally. He was a friend of Bill W. for 48 years. He helped organize local support groups for people living with mood disorders, where he shared his experience, strength, and hope with others. He loved his wife, Vive, and was very proud of his children, Katherine and Matthew. He loved the God of his understanding and the Church of the Good Shepherd. He always appreciated a good story, well told.

He is survived by Vive, his wife and friend of more than 55 years; his daughter Katherine Kershaw and son Matthew Kershaw, of Raleigh; his cousin Gary Lanouette of Portland, ME; his sister-in-law Katherine Lindsey and husband John of Chapel Hill, NC; his brother-in-law John Mallard and wife Deborah of Stokesdale, NC; his nieces Lisa Burton, Lauren Sorel, and Emily Mallard; his nephews Fraser Kershaw II, Stan Preschutti, and Eliot Preschutti, and their mother Lorrie Gawryla.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joanne H. Kershaw and Robert “Bob” E. Kershaw, and his brothers, Fraser H. Kershaw and Carter H. Kershaw.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 125 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27603. The family will receive visitors in Shepherd's Hall following the service.

The family is grateful for the many doctors, nurses, nurses' assistants, and friends who helped with care during his illness, including the staff at HomeChoice Home Care Solutions, WakeMed Rehab, Morningside of Raleigh, Hillside Nursing & Rehab, and Gentiva Hospice.

For those who wish to honor Rock’s memory, please consider giving to The Church of the Good Shepherd in Raleigh, where Rock was a longtime member and lector at the early service. You may also honor Rock by making art, meeting someone new, or supporting someone in recovery.

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh, is serving the Kershaw family.