Rocky Parker: A deep look into the life of Patrick Dempsey's ex-wife
Rocky Parker was an actress, model, and director known for her relationship with Grey's Anatomy actor Patrick Dempsey. Age, as they say, is just a number, and one interesting fact was their age difference which amused many. Their marriage was, however, rocky and eventually ended in divorce. Find out all details about the late actress before she met her unfortunate death.

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Celebrity relations are always of interest to their fans and Rocky Parker's relationship with her best friend's son amused a lot of people. Being significantly older than him, fans were interested in knowing whether their relationship would work out.
Profile summary
Full name | Rochelle Natalie Parker |
Date of birth | 26 February 1940 |
Place of birth | Brooklyn, New York, USA |
Zodiac | Pisces |
Age at the time of her death | 74 years |
Date of death | 19 April 2014 |
Place of death | Los Angeles, California, USA |
Cause of death | Lung cancer |
Nationality | American |
Education | Martin Buren High School |
Profession | Model, actress, TV personality, entrepreneur |
Eye colour | Green |
Hair colour | Dark brown |
Children | David, Corey, Noelle Parke |
Who is Rocky Parker?
She is an actress, model and entrepreneur, popularly known for her failed marriage to Patrick Dempsey. Their relationship made headlines due to the age difference and consequent issues that led to messy court battles, ending in a divorce.
Rochelle Natalie Parker was born to parents Bernard and Shirley Parker in Brooklyn New York. She spent her childhood days on Hopkinson Avenue and attended Martin Buren High school when her family moved to Bayside, Queens. It is, however, not known if she furthered her studies.
Her mother Shirley was also an actress and appeared in movies such as The Minx and Mission Mars.
How old was Rocky Parker when she died?
Rocky was born on 26 February 1940 in Brooklyn, New York. She lived to celebrate her 74th birthday before meeting her death. Her star sign is Pisces.
Career
With such an upbringing around celebrities and was exposed to showbiz at an early age. Her aunt, Ida, who worked at the Movie Star Slips, would bring her props including costumes to try on and this increased her interest in the industry.
She also would take her to Broadway shows in the city. Watching all the talented actors on stage would influence her to venture into acting and make her passionate about the career. This led her to audition for the High School Performing Arts in Manhattan and successfully was accepted to play one of the roles.
Her mother was, however, not receptive to the idea of her daughter venturing out as an actress and this made her abandon acting. She would, however, resume her passion after her 17th birthday.
She began her showbiz career as an ads model, posing for magazines such as True Romance alongside other print ads. She also took part in the Virginia Slim campaign, Virginia Slim Campaign You've Come A Long Way, Baby.
Filmography
Below are some of the films he appeared in:
- Can’t Buy Me Love (1987)
- In the Mood (1987)
- Happy Together (1989)
She also directed Ava’s Magical Adventure in 1994, coaching actors such as Kelly Preston, Brad Garret, and Joan Chen among others
Who was Rocky Parker's spouse?
She got married to her first husband, Sheldon Leonard Stein on 21st August 1958 and got her first child at the age of 19. The marriage did not last. She then got married to her second husband John Hass in 1964 and got her second child Corel Parker Hass.
Unfortunately, John passed away in 1968 making her a widow. She also had a relationship with Nick Ferri, which resulted in the birth of her their child Noelle Parker. This, however, did not last long as they did not get married.
Rocky Parker's relationship with Patrick Dempsey

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Patrick Dempsey and Rocky Parker met on the set of the Brighton Beach Memoirs, a play, in 1984. They began dating and eventually got married in August 1987. They, however, started having issues with allegations of cheating and abuse. This was not proved in court and they eventually divorced.
Rocky Parker's obituary
She was pronounced dead on 19 April 2014 after a struggle with stage four throat and lung cancer. She had a bad cigarette smoking habit which probably was the cause of her illness. Her ashes were spread in the Pacific ocean near her home in Santa Monica according to her wishes.
FAQs
- What was Rocky parker's cause of death? She died from cancer which was likely caused by too much cigarette smoking.
- Was Rocky Parker in Can't Buy Me Love? Yes, she was in the additional crew, playing the assistant of Patrick Dempsey.
- Who is Patrick Dempsey's first wife? Rochelle 'Rocky' Parker was his first wife.
- Does Patrick Dempsey have children? He has three children namely; Fyfe, Darby and Sullivan.
- What was Rocky Parker's age when she married Patrick Dempsey? She was 48 years old.
- Why did Patrick Dempsey marry Rocky Parker? He fell in love with her and felt she had a lot to offer in marriage due to her age.
As a talented model and actor, Rocky Parker did achieve a lot in her career. She, however, didn't have success in her marriage life. Her relationship did not work out which was opposite of what Patrick Dempsey expected.
Yen.com.gh also shared an article about Carole Ann Boone, the controversial wife of Ted Bundy, an infamous murderer. He is a famous serial killer who murdered over 30 women in America in the 70s through his charm.
Ted Bundy interestingly proposed to her while on trial and they went on to become husband and wife. She went on to have a daughter, Rosa Bundy before her husband was executed by electric shock on 24th January 1989.
Source: YEN.com.gh