Roll Call Tribute

Dr. Mark W. Peckham
January 08, 1957 - January 06, 2022

Dr. Mark Wayne "Doc" Peckham, DVM. January 8, 1957 – January 6, 2022.

Mark passed away quietly on January 6, 2022, in his home after a short battle with cancer.

Mark is survived by his dad, Rufus William Peckham and wife Cheryl, son, Braden Wade Peckham and his mother Kacey Saunders, sister, Cindy Long and husband Mike, brother, Christopher William Peckham, and stepsister, Kim Carver and husband Harold. He is predeceased by his mother, Marguerite Burrows and husband Ray.

Mark's father introduced Mark and his brother Chris to hunting and fishing at a young age. He instilled into both boys the associated legal and moral responsibilities of the sport, and his words were never lost on either, as they took only what they could eat or share with others. Mark's love for the sport only grew as he got older.

Mark graduated from Ross Sterling High School in 1975 and attended Texas A&M University. After his first year, he decided to take a sabbatical from school, and worked at Diamond Shamrock refinery. Working shift work allowed Mark more time to pursue other interests. He took several surfing trips to Mexico and Central America. His trips were to off the grid locations, where he was in constant danger from the local banditos. He survived holdups and shootouts. One trip was to El Salvador during the height of the civil war. These adventures would be re-lived through his fireside story telling in later years.

Mark also loved snow skiing and scuba diving and would spend time each year pursuing both. He would ski the slopes of Utah and Colorado during the early spring, then dive the reefs of Cozumel and Cayman Islands in the winter months.
Mark was an avid photographer, and fortunately chronicled his life in a vast slide collection that he and his friends would enjoy reminiscing during his last days.

After a few years he decided it was time for him to finally obtain his ultimate goal of becoming a veterinarian. He re-enrolled at A&M, maintained a 4.0 GPA, and graduated with honors with a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine.

Mark worked at the Houston Zoo after graduating, where he became one of the best-known vets for exotic animals. After leaving the zoo he worked at Bellaire Blvd Animal Clinic before purchasing the practice. Mark dedicated his life to helping sick or injured animals and ran his clinic to provide help to those animals regardless of the amount of money his clients could afford. He would often treat animals at cost or a loss, rather than send them away.

In April of 1994, Mark's son, Braden W. Peckham was born. Mark would spend time instilling the same ethics and morals in Braden as his father had in him. Mark loved all of the time he was able to spend with Braden. Together they enjoyed skate boarding, building and launching model rockets, and Mark teaching Braden auto and engine repair.

Mark was just at home performing complicated surgery on an exotic bird, as he was rebuilding a 540 cubic inch racing motor or repairing fiberglass work on a surfboard. There was nothing he wasn't proficient at, with the exception of computers. They remained his constant bane until he died.
Once Mark learned of his cancer diagnosis, he could have chosen to spend his remaining time doing as many things as he could on his bucket list. Instead, kept his clinic open so his loyal employees would have a job until they were able to find another. But, every Wednesday and Sunday he could be found painfully making his way to his favorite fishing holes with his buddies, or alone with mother nature. He would continue to fish until the pain forced him to stop. He also continued to work until his last month, when the pain finally became unbearable. His toughness and endurance were inherited from his dad Rufus, a former Navy Seal.

Mark found a second home at the Garwood Hunting Club, where he became the club vet, mechanic, specialty cook, and official storyteller. The evenings at the camp would always find everyone sitting around the fire engrossed in Mark's recounting memories of his past adventures.

Mark was a founding member of the Bellaire chapter of Ducks Unlimited and would volunteer his already tight time to helping raise thousands of dollars to support the association.

He also donated to the Coastal Conservation Association.
Mark's family would like to extend thanks to Dr. Ken Ciolli, Gene Del Bello, and Glen Bilderback for their help and support though Marks final hours.

Per Mark's wishes there will be no service, but the family asks that donations be made in his memory to the Bellaire Ducks Unlimited or Coastal Conservation Association.