Alfred Anthony Rocca

Alfred A. Rocca

October 22, 1935 – February 17, 2022

On Thursday, February 17, 2022, Alfred Rocca – beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle and Brother Knight, passed away peacefully at his home in Bowie, Maryland.  Fondly known to his family and friends as Al, Big Al, Friendly Al and Rock, he passed away in the home he loved where he lived and raised his family since 1966.  Al was born on October 22, 1935 in New York City and grew up on the lower east side of Manhattan.  He was the only son of Angelina Villardi Caruso and Alfred J. Rocca.

In 1959, Al was drafted into the United States Army and after completing Basic Training at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, was stationed in Washington, D.C.  Once discharged from the Army, rather than returning to New York, he remained in Washington, D.C. where he met a beautiful, young woman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marlene Benson, whom he married in 1963.  Al and Marlene bought their home on Youngwood Turn in Bowie in November of 1966 where they started their family and raised their 4 daughters.

Al worked several different jobs over the years, including sales for Remington razors and then United Insurance, before finding his true calling as a Knights of Columbus Insurance agent in December of 1978.  Al was an active member of the Knights of Columbus and believed passionately in their mission.   He spent his 30+ year career with the Knights and helped countless families in the process, retiring at age 75 in 2011.  

A long-time member of Sacred Heart Parish in Bowie and Knights of Columbus, Council #2577, Al actually helped physically build the council’s Boswell Hall in the early 1970s.  He treasured the relationships he built with his Brother Knights and their families.  Al was also an avid sports fan and never fully left behind his New York roots as he loved his New York Yankees.  Eventually, his D.C. area teams won a special place in his heart and he was always cheering on the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Orioles, eventually the Washington Nationals.  He passed his love of sports and competition on to all 4 of his girls.  He loved good food and good wine, (especially if someone else was buying!)  Italian cuisine was, of course, his favorite and he was never known to turn down pasta or a meatball.  There were many joys in Al’s life but anyone who knew him knew that he was never happier than when he was on his boat, fishing.  He gave all of his girls the gift of a love for the water, spending countless hours on the Chesapeake Bay boating, fishing, water skiing, etc.

Al’s wife of 56 years, Marlene, made her journey home to the Lord in 2019.  Al is survived by his 4 daughters – Christine and husband, Kevin Murphy; Tracy and husband David Weikart; Jennifer and husband Gregg Sexton; and Angela and husband Daniel Hunt.  He is also survived by his 4 beloved grandchildren, Gabriel and  Benjamin Weikart and Kyra and Alec Sexton.