Walter Edmund Rockhill Jr.

Walter Edmund Rockhill Jr., known as “Rock” to many and as Walt, Dad, and Pop Pop to those who loved him most, passed away on August 28, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the age of 72.

Born April 2, 1954, in Riverdale, Maryland, Walt moved with his family to New Jersey when he was 10 and spent most of his life in Somerset County. He grew up surrounded by love, with his parents, Walter “Rocky” and Helen, and his brother and sister.

Walt's greatest joy was his family, and at the heart of it was his “Lovely Linda.” Their first date was a walk on the beach in Belmar in 1983, and they married on November 3, 1984. They shared 41 years together. Walt loved Linda deeply and openly, from the big moments of their life together to the simple ritual of making sure her coffee was hot and ready each morning.

As a father, Walt was deeply loving and always present. He was at the games and events, offering encouragement and always showing up for whatever his children needed. He was immensely proud of them and loved being their Dad. To Walt, they were his “favorite daughter” and his “favorite son,” titles they were never allowed to forget. He was a supportive and grounding presence, always reminding them that, at the end of the day, the most important thing was to be kind.

As Pop Pop, he was happiest simply watching his grandchildren grow. He was proud of them, silly with them, and fully invested in their lives. Each grandchild was his “favorite,” a title that changed only as the ages changed.

Walt spent more than 40 years as an educator, primarily as an elementary school physical education teacher. He was proud of his career, but teaching was never simply a job to him. He cared deeply about helping children build confidence and believed that every child deserved encouragement and the opportunity to discover what they could do. His passion for teaching children to juggle was one example of that belief—he saw the confidence that came from learning something difficult and mastering it.

Walt loved being active and engaged with the world around him. He had a lifelong love of sports, the outdoors, and trying new things, but what mattered most was the people and experiences that came with them. He embraced life with an energy and enthusiasm that made the people around him want to join in. The things Walt did mattered less to him than the people he did them with.

He had an extraordinary ability to make people feel welcome and important. He checked in on people, celebrated their successes, showed up for their families, and gave them his full

attention. He could make a stranger feel like an old friend. His optimism and energy were contagious, and his laugh was unmistakable. He was competitive—sometimes fiercely so—but fairness and kindness always mattered more. He also had a wonderfully playful side, from his “READY READY READY” to the seemingly endless strings of colorful hearts that became his unmistakable signature on Facebook.

Walt is survived by his wife, Linda; his daughter, Jennifer Hanft, and her children Hudson and Evelyn; his son, Walter Rockhill III, his wife Christine, and their children Madison and Walter IV; his brother and sister; and the many beloved nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, extended family members, and friends who were an important part of his life. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter “Rocky” Rockhill and Helen Rockhill.

A celebration of Walt's life will be held at a later date in New Jersey, with details to be shared by the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Walt’s memory to AdoptAClassroom.org, which supports educators and students by providing much-needed school supplies and classroom resources. Supporting teachers was especially meaningful to Walt, who spent more than 40 years as an educator and often used his own time and resources to make sure his students had what they needed to succeed.