Roll Call Tribute

Craig Randall Elbel, DVM 

August 30, 1956 - May 15, 2026 

Dr. Craig Randall Elbel, DVM, was born to Roy Albert & Irene Pauline (Haag) Elbel on August 30, 1956, in New Braunfels, Texas. He passed from this life on May 15, 2026, in Spring Branch, Texas at the age of 69. Craig was preceded in death by his parents, Roy & Irene Elbel, and his grandparents, Alex and Olga Elbel.

He is survived by his wife, Leslie Degen Elbel, DVM, of Spring Branch, Texas; twin sons, Clayton Elbel and Cody Elbel, both of Spring Branch; his sister-in-law and niece, Debra and Courtney Moore of Spring Branch, Texas; and his cousins, Ben and Diana Elbel, Janice and Richard Zink, Lori and David Kinkler, and Gerald and Pat Elbel.

A son of the Texas Hill Country and a descendant of Gottlieb and Christiane (Zeh) Elbel, who both immigrated from Germany in 1849 and helped found the Spring Branch community, Craig carried his family’s German work ethic and love of the land throughout his life. He was a devoted steward of the Elbel Family Ranch, established by Gottlieb in 1879 and held by the family ever since.

Craig graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in May 1980 at 23 years old, and began his career at Herbst Veterinary Hospital in Boerne, Texas, where he practiced from 1980 to 1986. In 1986, he opened Bulverde Bexar Veterinary Clinic at Highway 281 and Marshall Road in San Antonio, and in 2017 moved his practice to Spring Branch, Texas. Over 46 years as a mixed-practice veterinarian, he cared for animals– and their families– of Spring Branch, Bulverde, Stone Oak, and Northern San Antonio. For many of his clients, he was not only their veterinarian for decades, but a trusted friend.

In 1997, Craig hired a young associate veterinarian named Dr. Leslie Degen, who became his partner in the practice and, in 1999, his wife. Together they built both a life and clinic, welcoming twin sons, Clayton and Cody, in 2000. He was a devoted father, raising his sons in 4-H and FFA, breeding his own Hereford club steers for the boys to show, and spending weekends with them at skeet and trap shoots.

Beyond the clinic, Craig served his community through the Comal County Agricultural Advisory Board and the Comal County Veterinary Medical Association. He loved working cattle – Herefords especially– hunting for arrowheads on the ranch, and following Texas A&M football and the San Antonio Spurs.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM (with a Visitation being held one hour prior from 10:00 AM until Service Time) on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 29797 US Hwy. 281, Bulverde, Texas 78163. A Private Family Burial will take place at a separate time on the Elbel Family Ranch.

“In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be sent to the Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, Texas 77840. Gifts received will be applied to the General Memorial account, 400-33198. Please designate gifts ‘In Memory of Dr. Craig R. Elbel ’80 Endowed Memorial Veterinary Scholarship’ in the memo line of the check. To donate online, please use the following link: http://give.am/ElbelMemorialVeterinaryScholarship.  Please select ‘This gift is a tribute to someone.’”

https://myaggieland.txamfoundation.com/s/