Roscoe (Rock) L. DeSpain Jr.
February 4th, 1931 - April 5th, 2024
Roscoe L. DeSpain, affectionately known as Rock, was welcomed home on April 5, 2024, at his
home in Hemet, CA. He was born to R. L. DeSpain Sr. and Helen on February 4, 1931, in
Missouri. His most cherished time working was with his father and sister Mary Ellen at R .L.
Despain Inc. for 21 years in Des Plaines, Ill.
He had many chapters of interest in his life including; dancing, sports, restauranteur, and finally finding his spiritual vocation in the Secular Franciscan Order and work in the Catholic Church. He will be laid to rest at Mission San Luis Rey cemetery in Oceanside, CA.
He is survived by his wife Janice of 47 years, children, Christine, Patricia, Kathleen, Wendy, and Imelda; grandchildren Tamara, Ryan, Sean, Leslie, Matthew, Heather, Lindsay, Sandie, and Zack; great grandchildren Joseph and Haisley. He is predeceased by his parents, siblings,
Frank, Kathleen, Mary Ellen and his son, Roscoe L. DeSpain III. He also will be fondly
remembered by nieces and nephews Steve, Jim, Roland, Janice, Sue, Diane, Kari, and Tom.
You are loved and will live on in our hearts until we meet again in our heavenly home.
Rock would love to share with you, a prayer that is very special to him and will be sung at his
funeral on May 25 th at Holy Spirit Parish. He would emotionally belt it out whenever it was sung at Church. It is an invitation to all of us to live in the compassion of God’s mercy and grace.
Peace Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
Oh Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
The last song Rock sung was Danny Boy on St. Patrick’s Day. If you would like to honor Rock’s
memory, he would be pleased if you made a donation to a charitable organization of your
choice. My brother told me after viewing him sing Danny Boy on Facebook he wanted to send
a donation to Boy’s Town, founded by Irish Father Flanagan in 1917. It now also serves girls as
well as boys. Really, any help to persons who are described in the Peace Prayer above would
honor his memory.
