Anthony E. Rocca died peacefully at home on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Rosary will be at 9:00 a.m. with visitation following until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home.
Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at the St. Mathias Catholic Church. Burial with military honors will be in Rock Island National Cemetery on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. Online condolences: www.wittichfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made to the family, for their choice of charity. There will be a time for food and fellowship following the Funeral Mass in Gannon Hall.
He was born May 15, 1929, in Iowa City to Peter and Mary (Pusateri) Rocca. He graduated from St. Mary’s High Iowa City in 1947. He received his B.S and M.S in Pharmacy from the University of Iowa and retired in 1992 after 30 years as the Pharmacy Director at Muscatine General Hospital.
He and Linda Jane Cook were married June 4, 1955, at St. Mary’s Church in Iowa City. Linda died July 14, 2008.
During the Korean War, he served as an infantry platoon corpsman in the First Marine Division. After Inchon, Seoul, and North Korean campaigns, he received three battle stars and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V”: later the Combat Action ribbon and the Good Conduct Medal. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, the Marine Corps Assn, and the Chosin Few.
Survivors include his daughters and son-in-law, Mary and Sam Curry, Donna Halligan, granddaughters, Allison Dunmore (Danny) and Elizabeth and Katherine Halligan. Also, sister Loretta (James) Clark and brothers Michael (Beryl) and James, sisters-in-law Ellen and Trudy, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda; parents, Peter and Mary; sisters, Josephine and Mary; and brothers, Joseph, Philip, John; and sisters-in-law, Shirly and Mary Jo.
