Dee Brock, the pioneer and original director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, has passed away. She was 96 years old.
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Cowboys Cheerleaders Founder Dead at 96
Her passing was
confirmed by her grandson Craig Brock in a social media post on Wednesday (September 23)."Today is a very sad day. The world lost an absolutely amazing person in my Grandmother Dee Brock," Craig wrote a Facebook post on Wednesday.
Many people in the comments section of the social media post shared heartfelt messages and condolences.
Brock established the original squad in the early 1960s at the request of then-Cowboys team president Tex Schramm.
Brock initially organized a co-ed group of high school students known as the "CowBelles & Beaux". Under her leadership, the group later transitioned into an all-female squad. It primarily focused on professional dance and sideline entertainment. It was also under Brock's leadership that the group became a racially integrated cheer squad in 1965.
Following the news of Brock's passing, tributes poured in for the former Cowboys Cheerleading Director. Among the people to honor Dee was current DCC Director Kelli Finglass, who has served in the role since 1991.
In a post to her social media account on Thursday, Finglass honored Brock for the role that she played in helping "create an icon."
"Dee's leadership, imagination, and unwavering commitment to excellence shaped far more than a team. She created a standard, a spirit, and a symbol that have inspired generations and earned recognition around the world," Finglass wrote in an Instagram post on September 24
"Her influence lives on in every performance, every dream pursued, and every woman who has worn the uniform with pride. We are deeply grateful for her vision, her courage, and the extraordinary legacy she leaves with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders."
Dee Brock forever changed the world of sports and entertainment. May she rest in peace.
