URBANA – Charles R. "Chuck" Brock, 55, died Monday, Sept. 29, 2008, in Urbana.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, at Mount Olive Baptist Church, 808 E. Bradley Ave., Champaign. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Officiating will be Admin. Asst. Charles O. Nash Sr.

Leek & Sons Funeral Home, 304 E. Williams St., Danville, is in charge of arrangements.

Charles was born on Sept. 26, 1953, in Greenville, Miss.

He attended the University of Illinois, where he received bachelor's and master's degrees in political science. He was a defensive tackle for the university football team during his undergraduate years in the 1970s.

He served as the executive director of Westwood Development Corporation for Champaign-Urbana, founder of Brock Innovative Group, Project Vowels for American Veterans, Rheon Entertainment, and the Old School Music Project, and was responsible for many community activities.

Charles was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the Church of the Living God in Champaign, where Bishop Lloyd Gwin is the pastor. He was a community activist and the founder of the Academic Athlete of the Month Awards for high school students.

He is survived by his wife, Christine; his stepson, Alex; his mother, Odessa Brock of Greenville, Miss.; two sisters, Deborah (Solomon) Osborne of Greenwood, Miss., and Sheila (Aaron) Capers of Champaign; one brother, Emmett Jr. (Dawn) of Milwaukee; and many nieces, nephews and a host of relatives and friends.

Charles was preceded in death by his father, Emmett Sr.