M. J. "Mac" McCoy

     Funeral services for M. J. "Mac" McCoy, age 80 of Saint Jo, were held 11:00 AM, Thursday, October 30, 2014 at First Baptist Church of Saint Jo with Rev. Sam Campbell and Rev. Jeff Roe officiating. Burial followed the service in the M. J. "Mac" McCoy Family Cemetery in Saint Jo under the direction of Scott Funeral Home. A visitation and a meal were held at the McCoy Trophy House also in Saint Jo. Mac died at his home in Saint Jo on Saturday, October 25, 2014.

     One of six children, Mac was born on September 12, 1934 to James Arthur and Luteenie (Bass) McCoy in Crosby County, Texas. Mac spent many hours picking cotton with his siblings and parents. He often told the story of picking more cotton than anyone else except his mother.

     After graduating from high school, Mac was offered an athletic scholarship but turned it down to join the Army where he quickly rose to the rank of captain while working with the Pentagon as a nuclear weapons analyst. While analyzing satellite data, Mac discovered a new Russian nuclear weapon. After presenting the data to the Secretary of State, he was given the honor of naming the missile GANEF. Mac served 11 years in the military, three years in Germany where he saw most all of Europe.

     After his honorable discharge from the Army, Mac went on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He earned a mortuary degree and used that to work his way through school. Mac worked as the Director of Maintenance at Bell Helicopter in Amarillo, TX and Director of Plant Operations Maintenance at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL, but he always felt the pull to be his own boss and later moved back to Texas where his brothers, Medford and Melvin, helped him get into the funeral business. In 1979, Mac moved to Saint Jo and purchased the funeral home, and in 1983 he purchased the funeral home in Muenster. For many years, he ran the funeral home and an ambulance service for the community of Saint Jo.

     Although Mac was a hard worker, he also enjoyed his time off hunting in many locations around the world, including Canada, Alaska, Mexico, New Zealand and Africa. He had so many hunting trophies that he and his friend and business partner, Les Scott, built a trophy room next to his house. He also enjoyed going on trips with his longtime companion, Annette. Saying she had never been out of Texas, Mac wanted her to see everything he had seen. They took trips every summer all over the United States and in the summer of 2014 they took a two week trip to Italy.

     Mac loved Saint Jo and was proud to be a part of the community. He helped build the gazebo located on the town square without plans. Annette always called him a "Real Life John Wayne." To the outside observer, Mac was a big, rough old man but to those of us who knew his heart, he was a giant teddy bear that would do anything in his power to help – with or without you asking! He was a great man, father, grandfather (Pa Mac), great-grandfather (Pa Mac the Great) and friend. His presence will be greatly missed.

     Mac is survived by his: longtime companion, Annette Walterscheid of Muenster; daughters: Peggy Anne and husband, James Thomas of Red Oak, Linda Lou Currans of Fort Worth, Katherine Sue McCoy of Arlington and Karen Kay and husband Hugh Hillebrand of Arlington; sons: Michael James McCoy of Farmers Branch, Dennis Mathew McCoy, Cameron Douglas McCoy; grandchildren: Jennifer Connell of Fort Worth, Jessica Thomas of Red Oak, Mathew McCoy of Sherman, Haley Hillebrand of Fort Worth, and Katie Beth Hillebrand of Denton; great-grandchildren: Clara Cameron Connell and Maxwell Douglas Connell of Fort Worth, who called him "Pa Mac the Great;" sister: Morelle and Jack Miller of Denton, TX; brother Pete and wife, Joyce McCoy of Tuttle, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Arthur and Luteenie (Bass) McCoy, sister, Mary Viola Deal and brothers: Melvin McCoy and Medford McCoy.