Rocky Gabriel Gene Delfs, lived for 15 years on this earth and crossed the finish line on August 31, 2021, at Children’s Mercy Hopsital in Kansas City, Missouri from a rare birth defect, Brugada Syndrome. Through the loss of Rocky, he was able to save his brother’s life by learning he has the same syndrome and five others through organ donation. His memory will live on forever through others.

Celebration of Rocky’s Life will be Friday, September 10, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. in the lawn of Rocky’s House, 517 Parallel Street, Atchison, KS. Burial will follow in Mt. Vernon Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be on Thursday, September 9th from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home to assist the family with Rocky’s farewell.

Rocky was born on October 11, 2005, in Tucson, AZ, the son of Judy Eckes. He has a sister, Ella Eckes. On July 15, 2015, he and his twin brother were adopted by William C. Delfs and Joseph H. Leotaud. They lived in Tucson, AZ, until moving to Atchison, KS, in December of 2019. While in Tucson, he played Jr. High football and was in the school plays. He spent most Friday nights at Joe’s alma mater watching the high school football games and weekends hiking in the mountains.

Rocky was currently a student at Atchison High School and was so excited to be able to be at a new school and on the Cross-Country Team. All throughout his schooling he was a Straight A Student and aspired to do great things and invent new technology. He always said he was going to create something amazing and make the family rich!

He was insistent on always be the center of attention and wanted to make sure everyone liked him; he was no doubt a people pleaser! He was a confident, friendly person, but was competitive about everything he did. He was going to make sure he always won! When he was right, he would make sure to constantly remind you. His kind spirit and constant sarcasm will be forever missed, but never forgotten.

Rocky’s animals were considered siblings and were treated like family. He is survived by his parents, Bill Delfs and Joe Leotaud; three brothers, his twin brother, Alias Delfs, Joshua Delfs, Timothy Delfs; grandparents, William (Cece) Delfs, Sr. and Gladstone Leotaud; two aunts, Deborah Delfs, Wanda (Ray) Kerrins, and his cousins, Craig Beckham, Scott Beckham, Ysela Bedolla, Derek Kerrins, Tyler Kerrins, Lex Shaw, Gavin Shaw and Annabelle Shaw.

He was preceded in death by his grandmothers, Lucy Leotaud and Julaine Sue Atkinson, and an aunt, Christina Delfs.