Presley Joe Mock, Jr.

On January 8, 2023, Dr. Presley Joe Mock, Jr., of Walburg, Texas, peacefully entered the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at the age of 83. He was born on January 4, 1940, in Pasadena, Texas, to his father Dr. Presley Joe Mock, Sr. and his mother Hazel Estelle Barger Mock. 

Dr. Joe grew up and attended the La Porte Independent School District in La Porte, Texas, where he was a Boy Scout, played trumpet in the band, and graduated from La Porte High School in 1957. He met the love of his life, Patricia Yvonne Teinert Mock, the first day on campus at Southwestern University, and they were married in Walburg, Texas, on May 30, 1959. He graduated with bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Chemistry in 1961 before attending the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Galveston where he graduated with a Doctor of Medicine in 1964. Dr. Joe completed his post-graduate medical training at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin in 1965.

A newly minted family physician, Dr. Joe was drafted and selected the United States Navy to proudly serve his country during the Vietnam War. He was stationed in New London/Groton, Connecticut, where he graduated the U.S. Naval Submarine School and joined the U.S. Naval Reserves as active duty. He was commissioned and served as the Submarine Medical Office on the USS George Bancroft SSBN 643 during the Polaris Patrol from 1966-1967. Upon returning from sea duty, he acquired the nickname of “Tex,” and Dr. Joe served as Chief of the Military Sick Call Section at the U.S. Naval Submarine Medical Center in New London/Groton, Connecticut.

After being honorably discharged as a Lieutenant Commander in 1968, he returned to his hometown and assumed the local family medical practice from his father and long-term town doctor, continuing the family tradition of serving the community of La Porte, which he dearly loved, through family medicine and healing. Dr. Joe became a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Family Practice and Community Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston in 1975; worked with medical school residents from San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Family Practice Residency in Baytown beginning in 1982; and was an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine with UTMB Galveston from 1995-1998. He had hospital staff privileges at San Jacinto Methodist Hospital in Baytown as Courtesy Staff from 1989-2007, and at Bayshore Medical Center in Pasadena beginning in 1968, where he served on numerous committees and served as chair of the Family Practice Department, Secretary, and President between 1983-1999.

Dr. Joe was extremely active in all relevant medical organizations including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Texas Academy of Family Physicians including the Southeast and Harris County Chapters, the Texas Medical Association, the American Medical Association, and the Harris County Medical Society and the Southwest/Southeast Branches of the Harris County Medical Society. As a member of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, he served as Physician of the Day to the Texas Legislature biannually from 1980-2008. Through these organizations he served on numerous committees, held many leadership positions, and received various recognitions and awards for his service and dedication including the 1999 Physician of the Year Award from the Harris County Chapter of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, the 2015 Physician Emeritus Award from the Harris County Academy of Family Physicians, and the 2016 Physician Emeritus Award for Long and Meritorious Service in Family Medicine from the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Joe referred to himself “An Old Country Doctor,” and was known and loved for his dedication to his patients and their health and well-being. He was a practitioner of family medicine in La Porte and Pasadena for 45 years (1968-2013).

When not practicing medicine and teaching medical students, Dr. Joe continued to serve his community as a member of the La Porte Bayshore Heritage Society (1985-2013), La Porte Bayshore Chamber of Commerce (1968-2013), Board of Directors for La Porte State Bank (1983-1995), City of La Porte Health Director (1983-1999), La Porte High School Football Team Physician (1968-1998), Citizens Advisory Council to Industry (1991-1993), the City of La Porte Visions Planning Committee (1989), and Cubmaster for the Boy Scouts of America (1968-1973).

Dr. Joe loved his Heavenly Father and was a Charter Member of Christ Redeemer Lutheran Church in La Porte from 1974-2008. He was also a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Pasadena from 1968-1974 and Zion Lutheran Church in Walburg from 2008-2023.

As much as he loved practicing medicine, he equally loved hunting, fishing, boating, and being outdoors. It was his favorite pastime. His passion for pursuing these activities and for fish and wildlife conservation and advocacy was part of his core. He was an avid waterfowl hunter and saltwater angler and pursued many small and large game species from Alaska to Mexico. Dr. Joe was the founding Chairman of the Ducks Unlimited Bay Area Chapter in 1974, a Charter Trustee and Chairman of the Galveston Bay Conservation and Preservation Association in 1976, an early member of the Gulf Coast Conservation Association, which is now known as the Coastal Conservation Association Texas. He assembled sportsmen and women to raise money for the restoration of fish and wildlife habitat, advocated for the conservation and wise use of these precious resources before the Texas State Legislature, and left a legacy of hunters and anglers among family and friends.

Dr. Joe is survived by his wife, Patricia, of 63 years, three children (Presley Martin and former daughter-in-law Lynn of Dallas and Georgetown, Joe David and wife Lisa of La Porte, and Jennifer Michelle of Dripping Springs), eight grandchildren (Jillian, Abbey, Cory, Christopher, Kendell, Colton, Cora, and Natalie), three greatgrandchildren (Easton, Greyson, and Ella James), his sister (Sue Gale Mock Kooken of Hillsboro), and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. A private family service with military honors was held on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Walburg, where Dr. Joe was laid to rest.

In lieu of flowers, please consider carrying on Dr. Joe’s passion and love of fishing by donating “in memory of Dr. Presley Joe Mock, Jr.” to the Coastal Conservation Association Texas online at ccatexas.org/donate/ or send a check to CCA Texas, 6919 Portwest Dr., Suite 100, Houston, TX 77024. Donations to this 501c3 organization will fund marine conservation and restoration activities along the Texas coast.