Mr. Claude C. McCoy Sr.'s Obituary
In Loving Memory
Claude C. McCoy
December 15, 1936 – March 27, 2020
Claude C. McCoy, 83, of Manvel Texas is here no more. His garden is overgrown, his lawnmower and tractor are without their captain, and he’s now being greeted at the Pearly Gates. His spirit soared from his worn-out body on Friday, March 27, 2020 and freed him finally from that blankity-blank weed eater.
Born December 15, 1936 to Claude H. and Martha L. Lignian McCoy in Inola, Oklahoma, Claude is preceded in death by his loving wife Inge, his mother and father, as well as his many four-legged friends, including “Jack”. He is survived by son Claude Jr. (wife Linda) and daughters Margit (husband Archie), Cissy (husband Wade), and Debbie (husband Sean). Claude also leaves behind granddaughter Crissy, great-granddaughter Mady, great-grandson Little Joe, granddaughter Rachel, grandson Ryan, and great-granddaughter Natalie Rose. He was particularly blessed by the regular company of his nephew Brent, great-nephew Kash and especially our Uncle Jerry, who always called his older brother “Sarge.”
Claude joined the Army as a young man, beginning basic training at Fort Ord, California before transferring to Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, where he learned to jump out of perfectly good airplanes. He moved on to Fort Campbell in Kentucky, where he trained with the 11th Airborne Division. He soon found himself stationed in Germany where he broke the old record at Marcella Pub by downing 3 liters of beer. Before returning to the States, Claude met the love of his life, Inge. After stops in Kentucky (again), Tennessee, Georgia, and Hawaii, they settled in Texas to raise their family.
In 1986, Claude retired from the Halliburton HOW10 where he was given the name “Chief Two Feathers” by his good friend Harold Rodgers. He was a champion league bowler and enjoyed spending time outside, fishing and hunting (he was the only man we knew who wore pink sweats to deer camp). He took up shrimping, first as a hobby with a hand-tossed sportsman net before going big time with an electric winch and his Commercial Fisherman license. He was always happy to share his catch with friends and neighbors.
After many years on the water, Claude turned his attention to his backyard garden where he reveled in the battle between his tomatoes (the hard-to-find Box Car Willie variety was his favorite) and the inevitable early spring freezes. Again, he always shared the bounty of his garden with everyone around him. Each summer, tables full of ripening tomatoes and other garden goodies were spread out under the carport like his own private farmer’s market. And, with an outdoor garage kitchen of his own design, Claude enjoyed cooking as well as following his favorite food shows on the nearby old-school TV set.
The family would like to thank the many friends who always found the time to stop in and say hello, including Cris, Debbie, Patty, Randy, Lori, David, Jesse and Big Daddy. Claude always looked forward as well to calls and visits from Uncle Harvey, Aunt Louise, Curtis, Terry and Randy. Thanks also to all the local grocery store employees who always took time to listen to his stories. Thank you to Jay and Michael for your kindness. And a huge thanks to Nurse Mary for your loving care.
Numerous other friends frequently made it into Claude’s stories and remembrances, and he sends a warm “Auf Wiedersehen” to Gordon E. Hedgepeth, Booger Cline, Ralph Watson, Obie Matthews, Don Boyce, Bobby Moore, Bobby Baird, Bobby Baird Jr., James Ethridge, Max Heard, Jack Lance, Gene Jennings, Jack Sessions and Willie Taylor.
The family wants to thank everyone for the love and support shown to us. We will honor our father’s final wishes and no service will be held. In lieu of flowers, Claude asks that each of us find it in our hearts to do an unexpected act of kindness in his honor. He also suggests looking up and reading the “Obituary to Common Sense.”
Finally, until we meet again, Daddy would have certainly reminded all of us to “hold a bind on it.”
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