Remembering an indomitable optimist and family man

Looking back at the life of my dad, Mike Vock

Welcome to the D.C. Vock newsletter, a mix of news and analysis from a very versatile Washington-based reporter.

This week’s installment is a little different — and more personal — than usual, but we’ll be back to the normal programming soon.

Mike Vock, standing in front of the farm outside of Polo, Ill., where he grew up.

I’ve spent most of the last several weeks with my family as my dad was hospitalized and then died. I am still very much caught up in the aftermath of that, but I thought it would be worth sharing a bit about his life.

Here’s his obituary (original here):

Michael J. Vock, an unwavering optimist raised on a farm in northwestern Illinois who created a beautiful family of his own in the suburbs of Chicago, died of a respiratory infection on Feb. 25. He was 73 years old.

A longtime resident of Carol Stream, Ill., Mike was the devoted husband of 49 years to Vicki Vock. The two met in Chicago when he was a pharmacy student at the University of Illinois Medical Center and she was a nursing student at Michael Reese. Together, Mike and Vicki had four children, six grandchildren, one cat, one dog and a lifetime of happy memories.

Mike quietly set an expectation of excellence for others to follow. He was the first one in his family to graduate from college, but in doing so, he set a standard his siblings and his children would all follow. Mike “set the bar pretty high and led to all seven of us graduating from college,” said Dick Vock, his next-oldest brother. “This was quite the feat considering that our parents were high-school graduates.”

Mike was also known for his cheerful disposition. He would often recite the Psalm, “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” But he also would often seize on other upbeat messages, whether they be Boy Scout songs or Creedence Clearwater Revival lyrics. Even during his last moments, he flashed a thumbs-up sign and a smile as the doctors recommended he be intubated.

Tim Vock, one of his sons, remembered hearing that his dad would wake up and repeat mantras to get himself ready for the day. “It was not so much a disposition as it was a choice,” Tim said. “He woke up and he had to get himself to this point before he left the room to confront the world. But he did it every day!”

“He chooses to be bright and optimistic and diligent and persistent. It’s not just who he is, it’s who he chooses to be,” Tim said.

Michael James Vock was born Jan. 23, 1953, at Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital in Dixon, Ill. His parents were Carl Vock, a gregarious farmer, and the equally loving but more grounded Anne Vock. The young couple lived on a farm outside of Polo, Ill., in a house they helped build, and instilled the values of hard work, academic excellence and caring for each other in their family.

On the farm, Mike helped with the family business of growing corn and soybeans, milking cows and raising chickens. When he was older, Mike helped the family farm raise beef cattle and, on occasion, pigs.

Mike also lived up to his parents’ expectations at school and in his church. He was baptized, confirmed and took his first communion at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Polo, and also served as an altar boy there. In school, he proved to be formidable in the classroom and on the playing field. He thrived in academics and lettered in high school football and wrestling. In football, he was a member of the Blackhawk Conference championship team.

“His younger siblings all looked up to him,” said his brother, Ed Vock. “Not sure how he blazed the trail of life, but we admired the standard he set.”

Mike decided to become a pharmacist. It was a five-year program, and Mike started it at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon. He earned money for his college education by working part-time and during summers, including stints at a steel mill. He then moved on to the University of Illinois Medical Center’s Chicago campus.

The most important moment of his life came when he met Vicki at a pharmacy fraternity’s party. The couple’s first date started awkwardly enough — a movie about giant rabbits — but the two quickly grew fond of each other. Vicki was taken with Mike’s earnestness and found a sense of belonging with his family. The two married on Feb. 5, 1977.

Their son Daniel was born in October — still a preemie — and Vicki was immediately impressed with how easily Mike handled their newborn child on the way back home from the hospital. Mike would feed the infant Dan ice cream and introduced him to Johnny Carson.

Another son, Timothy, quickly followed, and, needing space, Mike and Vicki moved to the suburbs of Carol Stream and never left. Two more children — Andrew and Hope — followed. They would all get ice cream as infants. Mike worked as a pharmacist at Osco, while Vicki worked as an emergency room nurse and in various other capacities at Central DuPage Hospital. They joined Gary Memorial United Methodist Church in Wheaton, where Mike especially liked the joyous music. Whenever possible, the family would vacation at a Disney theme park in California or in Florida. They often hosted family gatherings, particularly for Christmas, for the growing Vock clan.

My grandpa, Carl Vock, with my dad, Mike Vock, and a younger me.

With the expanding family, Mike became a Scout leader, high school football fan and dance booster. He met astronaut Jim Lovell at an Eagle Scout dinner for two of his sons, but he was probably more excited about leading kids on a bike ride alongside the Fox River, skiing in the Upper Peninsula or cheering on his son Andrew as captain of the football team or his daughter Hope as captain of the pom pom squad. Even in quiet moments, Mike reassured his children that, no matter what challenges they faced, he loved them.

Mike enjoyed the wide open spaces of the suburbs, especially as he biked through them. He was a merit badge counselor for both cycling and skiing and loved taking walks outdoors through meandering suburban streets or along forest preserve paths.

As his family grew, Mike’s enthusiasm grew, too. He made every grandchild, no matter how young, feel loved and welcome as he played silly games with them or introduced them to the wonders of skiing, cycling and snack breaks at places like Dunkin Donuts. He would drive long distances, sometimes on very short notices, to be with his children or grandchildren. He loved playing obnoxious games with his grandchildren, or just hearing them tell him about their day-to-day lives.

Upon retiring from Osco after 45 years, Mike enjoyed playing basketball with his sons, riding bikes and volunteering with his church.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Vicki; his children Daniel “Dan” (Mariana), Timothy “Tim” (Angela), Andrew (Tiffany) and Hope (Steve) Penner; his grandchildren Faith, Jayna, Aimée, William “Bill,” Julianna and Benjamin; his six siblings: Richard “Dick” (Judy), David “Dave” (Janice), Joy de León, Edward “Ed” (Zully), James “Jim” (Laura) and Matthew “Matt” (Becky) Vock. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Mike was preceded in death by his brother Nicholas and his parents.

A visitation will be held on Friday, March 6, 2026, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187. A memorial service will be held at Gary United Methodist Church, 224 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187, on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 2 p.m. A private burial will be held at Wheaton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to Habitat for Humanity, 1600 E Roosevelt Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187.

Family and friends may sign a guestbook at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.

---

That’s it for now. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones.