Elsie Indellicati Mock

Elsie Helen Indellicati Mock, age 96, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 22, 2023, at her home in Houston. She was born February 7,1927, on the family cotton farm in a rural area between Needville and Rosenberg, Texas to Peter and Pauline (Kosik)Talafuse. Elsie lived through the height of the Great Depression which left a pronounced effect on her life, teaching her the value of saving and living a modest lifestyle. Elsie’s teenage fantasies included marrying a “city boy” and dreaming of a world away from milking cows, feeding chickens, and chopping cotton. While boarding a train in Rosenberg, wearing a home-sewn flour sack dress she met the “city boy” whom she would marry within a year. On the platform that day, a serviceman from New York City named Joe Indellicati spotted the blonde blue-eyed young girl chaperoned by her older sister, Katy who politely took Joe’s box of chocolates in spite of their parent’s warning to not take candy from soldiers. It was a Taylor Swift love story that ended tragically with Joe’s death at age 50 leaving her a widow at the age of 42. Elsie devoted her life to her family and held together her three children emotionally and physically following the loss of their father. Upon becoming an empty nester in 1973 she met Albert Mock through a Catholic event and Elsie and Albert were united in matrimony that same year. Her lifelong dream being a homemaker was resurrected upon marriage to Albert when she became a mom to his five children and instant grandmother to Shane Towler. She was once again blessed with all the aspects of being a wife and mother to the Mock family. It was cooking meals, doing laundry, dyeing Easter eggs, preparing Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas trees, wrapping presents and being a devout member of St. Jerome’s Catholic Church that defined her life. She displayed a passion for caring for Albert and sadly after 47 years of marriage she lost the second love of her life. Amidst her busy schedule she carved time to attend school and obtain a nursing assistant certificate and devoted 20+ years employed at Spring Branch Memorial Hospital, receiving numerous awards for her attendance, dependability but most significantly the quality of her patient care. She was loved by management, doctors, co-workers but mostly her patients. Her passion for care extended to Joe and Tina Sharman. What was to be a temporary 3-month assignment to care for the elderly couple, extended over ten years caring for the aging Sharmans, their son Jesse and wife Ola Fay and their children and grandchildren. Elsie was companion, cook, and caretaker who prepared and enjoyed the daily noon meal gatherings of the elderly Sharman couple and family members. The Sharman family will always be remembered for their generosity and helping hand following the death of her first husband. Preceded in death by her parents Peter and Pauline Talafuse; husbands Joe Indellicati and Albert Mock; sisters Elizabeth Laxton, Katy Brandl, Dorothy Andrejczak, Ann Glasser and Mary Ann Kainer; brothers Joe and Pete Talafuse; grandson Mark Helton; beloved nephew Charles Kainer and niece Diana Mitchell; and her loyal dogs, Dago and Bosco. Survivors include her children, John Indellicati and wife, Cheryl, Joe Indellicati, Karen Indellicati-Rittinger; stepchildren, Jane Towler, Catherine Helton and husband Robert, Joe Mock, Mary Johnston and husband Dwight, Margaret Bache and husband Steve; brother-in-law, Lawrence Kainer; and 21 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren. Survivors also include special individuals: neighbors Gary and Elaine Castello; former son-in-law Erwin Rittinger; parish monsignor Dan Scheel; and Lourdes Fernandez who loved, cared, and comforted her at the moment of her death. Graveside services will be held Sunday, October 1, 2023, at 11:00 A.M. in Greenlawn Memorial Park with Monsignor Dan Scheel officiating. The family will receive friends Sunday morning from 9:30 A.M. until 10:30 A.M. in the Chapel at Davis Greenlawn Funeral Home with a life celebration commencing at 10:30A.M. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Small Cell Ovarian Cancer Foundation (smallcellovarian.org)in honor of Bailey Purkey, a precious young woman and family friend taken by this disease. Tributes and words of condolence may be left for the family at www.davisgreenlawnfh.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Home, 3900 B.F. Terry Blvd.(Hwy 59 South @ FM 2218), Rosenberg, Texas 77471, Phone: 281-341-8800.

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Elsie Indellicati Mock

February 7, 1927 - September 22, 2023