Melvin Jay Pocock

 

Mel was known for his devotion to and love of family and  friends.  He was fun-loving and  had a notorious sense of humor, often making jokes about and playing tricks on his family and  friends!  Mel made a profound impact on many lives and will always be remembered for his love, friendship and  compassion.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard Pocock and Jean (Gernaat) Cloninger, aunt, Della (Pocock) and Benny Dodge, brother Richard Pocock, sister Patty Pocock, in-laws Colonel Marion and Mrs. Maxine Monk, brother-in-law, Robert Monk and sister-in-law, Barbara Monk. Mel is survived by his loving wife, Patt Monk Pocock, Woodstock, Georgia; son and daughter-in-law, Kim and Sandra Pocock, Leesville, South Carolina; daughter, Lori Pocock-Fletcher, Conrad, Montana; son and daughter-in-law, Monte and Cheryl Pocock, Chandler, Arizona; son-and-daughter-in-law, Todd and  Marsinah Pocock, Oak Harbor, Washington; grandchildren Caleb and Megan Pocock, Tucson, Arizona; Adam Pocock, Sam Pocock, Marielle (Pocock) and Trevor Ransom, Chandler, Arizona; Parker and  Olivia Pocock, and Hannah (Pocock) and Ree O'Neal, Gilbert, South Carolina; sister Wanda (Cloninger) and Don Bollinger, Conrad, Montana; brothers Jimmy and Fay Cloninger, WoIf Creek, Montana; Gary and Peggy Cloninger, Helena, Montana and his sister-in-law Tennyson "Tammy” and  Richard Townsely, Whidbey Island, Washington.  A Celebration of Life for the family is being planned for a later date.  Suggested memorials are the Cherokee County Animal Shelter in Canton, Georgia, or the Wounded Warrior Project.  An online Guest Book and obituary is available on the Poole Funeral Home website, www.poolefuneralhome.net and Legacy.com.

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather and  brother, Melvin Jay "Mel" Pocock, 91, went to be with our Lord and  Savior, Jesus Christ, on November 11, 2022. Born in Conrad, Montana, to Richard and  Mecheliena "Jean" (Gernaat) Pocock on September 15, 1931, he was raised in Montana and Washington state.  In his youth, he worked he worked as a farm hand at several area Montana farms and graduated from Conrad High School.  Mel attended college at Northern Montana College, now MSU Northern, in Havre, Montana.  He enlisted in the Army in 1950 and  was stationed at Camp San Luis Obispo Army Base, California, where he married his high school sweetheart Sharon Buell.  During the Korean War, Mel was deployed to Germany, where he served and maintained communications stations for the Army for several years.  Following his discharge, he began a career with Rohr Corporation (a subcontractor for Lockheed) in Riverside, California, and subsequently transferred to Rohr’s Chula Vista, California facility. Their oldest son Kim was born in California while they living in California.  Mel later transferred to Rohr’s Georgia facility where he concluded his career with Rohr after 21 years.  His three younger children, Lori, Monte and Todd were born in Georgia.  Mel earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Georgia in 1959.  Mel and  Sharon divorced and Sharon moved back to Montana with the children.  Mel spent much of the rest of his life in the South.  He met the love of his life, Patricia Jo "Patt" Monk in 1976 and took her as his bride on June 10, 1978.  Mel continued working in manufacturing and eventually discovered sales, where he excelled and continued until his retirement in 2011.  Mel and Patt lived in North Carolina, South Carolina, Minnesota and Connecticut before  eventually settling in the Atlanta area.  Mel was an avid automobile and race enthusiast.  Mel attended many races, including a number of Indy Car, NASCAR and Formula 1 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as well as other race venues throughout the country.  Mel also spent many weekends at Road Atlanta beginning in the early 1970’s up until the last race he was able to attend, the 22^nd Annual Petit LeMans in 2019.

 

Mel was known for his devotion to and love of family and  friends.  He was fun-loving and  had a notorious sense of humor, often making jokes about and playing tricks on his family and  friends!  Mel made a profound impact on many lives and will always be remembered for his love, friendship and  compassion.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard Pocock and Jean (Gernaat) Cloninger, aunt, Della (Pocock) and Benny Dodge, brother Richard Pocock, sister Patty Pocock, in-laws Colonel Marion and Mrs. Maxine Monk, brother-in-law, Robert Monk and sister-in-law, Barbara Monk. Mel is survived by his loving wife, Patt Monk Pocock, Woodstock, Georgia; son and daughter-in-law, Kim and Sandra Pocock, Leesville, South Carolina; daughter, Lori Pocock-Fletcher, Conrad, Montana; son and daughter-in-law, Monte and Cheryl Pocock, Chandler, Arizona; son-and-daughter-in-law, Todd and  Marsinah Pocock, Oak Harbor, Washington; grandchildren Caleb and Megan Pocock, Tucson, Arizona; Adam Pocock, Sam Pocock, Marielle (Pocock) and Trevor Ransom, Chandler, Arizona; Parker and  Olivia Pocock, and Hannah (Pocock) and Ree O'Neal, Gilbert, South Carolina; sister Wanda (Cloninger) and Don Bollinger, Conrad, Montana; brothers Jimmy and Fay Cloninger, WoIf Creek, Montana; Gary and Peggy Cloninger, Helena, Montana and his sister-in-law Tennyson "Tammy” and  Richard Townsely, Whidbey Island, Washington.  A Celebration of Life for the family is being planned for a later date.  Suggested memorials are the Cherokee County Animal Shelter in Canton, Georgia, or the Wounded Warrior Project.  An online Guest Book and obituary is available on the Poole Funeral Home website, www.poolefuneralhome.net and Legacy.com.