Darren Blaski

Darren Edward Blaski, 58, of Rockford passed away Sunday, March 18, 2018, in his home. Born June 22, 1959, in Hibbing, MN, the son of Edward and Virginia Ann (Karkkainen) Blaski. Married Karin Eva Hockhalter on September 1, 1990, in Frankfort. Employed as a maintenance procedure coordinator by Exelon for 35 years. Member of Salem Lutheran Church and Procedure Professionals Association. Darren was an avid fisherman, grouse hunter and rabid Bears fan. He was a reader of all Tom Clancy novels and the Tom Clancy novels not written by Tom Clancy. Darren was a cooker of potentially award-winning chili, a charcoal grilling advocate, buyer of anything kids sell for any cause and was fond of Finland, Grand Marias, MN, (because it looks like Finland), Myrtle Beach, SC, and Cozumel, Mexico. He was a rescuer of dogs and eventually cats, after a 26-year warming up period. Darren was a two pot a day coffee drinker and a teacher of driveway basketball, two-wheel bike-riding and on-ramp merging. He was an unfortunate non-stockholder of Miller Brewing Company. Darren was a workaholic, much to his family’s dismay, a competent fixer of stuff, social butterfly and networker extraordinaire. He was a loving husband, father and friend with a heart that despite its size, still fit in his chest. He was a battler of cancer, a recipient of God’s grace and winner of a life’s journey cram packed with love and adventure, and a final resting place in heaven. Tell Ed and Ginny we say “Hey!”. Survivors include his wife, Karin; son, Nicholas Blaski; daughters, Irina Blaski and Clarissa Blaski, all of Rockford; aunt and uncle, Helen and Jess Williams of DeKalb; cousins, Mark Williams of Sycamore, David Williams of Dallas, TX, Jeff Karkkainen of Esko, MN, Greg Karkkainen and Kim Karkkainen, both of Las Vegas, NV; brother-in-law, John Hockhalter of Park City, UT; mother and father-in-law, Patricia and Robert Hockhalter of Frankfort. Predeceased by his parents; uncle, Jerry Karkkainen; and aunt, Lorraine Carlson.

Memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 24, in Salem Lutheran Church, 1629 Sixth Street, Rockford. Memorial visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 23, in Delehanty Funeral Home, Ltd., 401 River Lane, Loves Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the family for Cancer Research Institute, National Cancer Center and Salem Lutheran Church.