Preston Leeroy Poole, Jr. was born on January 10, 1932, at Methodist Hospital in Dallas, Texas, to Preston Leeroy Poole and Willie Mae Ward Poole. He passed away on October 29, 2026.

He lived briefly in Colorado, Iowa, and Oklahoma before his family moved to Clyde, Texas, in 1941. He graduated with honors from Clyde High School in 1948 and attended McMurry University in 1950.

Preston served four years in the United States Navy. He enlisted on January 8, 1951, and completed boot camp in El Paso. He spent the remainder of his Navy career aboard aircraft carriers, including service aboard the USS Essex near Japan during the Korean War.

Following his military service, Preston enrolled at North Texas State University in Denton, where he graduated with honors in 1956 with a degree in Business Administration. He accepted a position in Houston with Shell Oil Company, working as an accountant.

On March 8, 1957, Preston married Shari Joyce Hassell at the Methodist Church in Palestine, Texas. In 1958, he began attending law school at the University of Houston while continuing to work at Shell Oil Company during the day. He graduated from law school in 1963 with his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree.

Preston and Shari welcomed their first child, David, on March 13, 1962. In May 1963, Preston moved his young family to Post, Texas, where he began practicing law.

In 1964, he was elected Garza County Attorney, a position he held until 1995. Although he officially retired in 1995, he continued his private law practice. In 2012, he was once again elected Garza County Attorney and served until 2014.

Throughout his distinguished career, Preston was elected as a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation in 2014 and was inducted into the Clyde Wall of Honor in 2015. He continued practicing law until September 2026.

Preston was a man of faith who taught Sunday school and served as a Lay Leader at the Methodist Church. Outside of his professional and church commitments, he was an avid tennis player and bicyclist.

Preston is survived by his wife of 69 years, Shari Poole; his son, David Poole, and wife, Heather; his daughter, Cynthia Black, and husband, Bill; his brothers, John Poole (Helen) and Gary Poole (Elaine); and his grandchildren, Kenzie Brinkley (Brandon), Katie Glenn (Trey), Aubrey Hamaty (Andrew), and Reese Poole.

He is also survived by seven great-grandchildren: Asher, Wren, River, and Merit Brinkley; and Charlotte, Mia, and Henry Glenn.

Preston will be remembered for his kindness, compassion, humor, encouragement, faithfulness, generosity, laughter, patience, and thoughtfulness. His life was marked by a commitment to his family, his faith, his community, and the legal profession.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to Trailblazers in Post, Texas, or the Post City Library.

Preston will be honored at a Celebration of Life ceremony at the Methodist Church in Post, Texas, on Tuesday, November 3 at 1:00 P.M. Services are under the direction of Hudman Funeral Home.