Former Little Neck bar owner and Long Island resident Frank Mockler died of natural causes on Monday, March 2. He was 92 years old.
Mockler and his brother Patrick were the owners of the eponymous Patrick’s Pub — located at at 252-12 Northern Blvd. — from 1966 until it closed in 2004. For nearly 40 years, the pub served up classic Irish fare and a great cup of Irish coffee.
Born in Massachusetts and raised in Galway, Ireland, Mockler got an early start in the restaurant industry. His daughter Elizabeth Terzi said that the young man worked in many of the local bars and hotels as a bartender.
At age 18, Mockler came back to the United States to serve in the army. While stationed in Germany for two years, Terzi said that he became the top cook for the army’s officers’ club, a military based building meant for off-duty officers.
Following his military service, Mockler continued his restaurant career, working in top establishments in Manhattan. He also worked at the 1964 World’s Fair, where he introduced the masses to his famous Irish coffee. The drink would later become a favorite in his future bars and restaurants.
“It’s the blend that we have — a little secret,” said Mockler on his Irish coffee back in 2002.
In 1966, he opened Patrick’s Pub in Little Neck, which quickly became a neighborhood favorite. Patrons were able to enjoy home cooked favorites like corned beef, Shepherd’s pie, black and white pudding and burgers.
A decade after opening the pub, Mockler opened the Harp & Mandolin in Bayside and with the help of his brothers Patrick and John, opened the Claddagh Shop a few doors down from Patrick’s Pub.
Terzi said that her father was also heavily involved in charity and giving back to the communities where he lived and did business. He helped to raised over $250,000 through events like charity balls, golf outings and fundraising brunches.
Mockler was on the board of the Queens Children’s Hospital and the Queens Lighthouse for the Blind and received honors from the 111th Precinct and the Emerald Society among other achievements.
“He was definitely a people person and he wanted to extend his goodness to everyone around him,” Terzi said.
Mockler is survived by his three daughters, Bette Terzi, Patricia Joyce and Franceen McPoland, four grandchildren and his partner Vanessa Park.
Mockler’s wake will be at Weigand Funeral Home in Williston Park on March 4 and 5, with visiting hours scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. His funeral will be at St. Anne’s in Garden City on March 6 at 11:15 a.m., followed by the burial at Holy Rood Cemetery.
