Billie Mack McCoy

Billie Mack "Bill" McCoy was born April 21, 1928, in Rockdale, Texas, the only child of B.F. McCoy and Lois McCoy. He came in kicking and screaming, expressing the exuberance with which he lived his life, and with a full head of hair that he kept until the day he died on March 6, 2013, of complications from Alzheimer's. Bill's early life was shaped by the Great Depression, but he responded to those dire economic times by developing a fierce independence and individualism, which manifested itself in a love of the outdoors. As a boy growing up in Austin, he ran a trap line up Barton Creek (Austin clearly being a different place in those days). For the rest of his life, he spent as much time outdoors as possible, swimming, hunting, fishing, boating, skiing and playing golf. When weather or darkness kept him inside, he would busy himself with his woodshop or repairing one of the many appliances that were used continuously. Following graduation from old Austin High School, Bill and a friend decided to circumnavigate the continental United States in an old jalopy that they had purchased cheap and restored. At one point in the trip, they had stopped for a swim at a small lake in one of the northern states when Bill noticed a child drowning. Jumping in, he pulled the child safely to shore. The owner of the property asked Bill if he had any lifeguard experience, to which Bill answered that he had. The owner then offered Bill and his friend jobs as lifeguards, which they gladly accepted, as they were nearly broke and hundreds of miles from home. They spent the last few weeks of the summer as lifeguards before resuming their trip on to California and then home to Austin. Upon his return to Austin, Bill enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin, where he swam on the swim team. An indifferent student but mechanically gifted, Bill elected to forego college after two years and went to work for Braniff Airways in Fort Worth, Texas, where he met his first wife, Shirley Ann, in 1948. They were married in 1949, and after a brief stint back in Austin, Bill enlisted in the Air Force, where among other things, he became a bomber turret mechanic. Honorably discharged in 1954 after reaching the rank of staff sergeant, Bill and Shirley again briefly returned to Austin. While in the Air Force, Bill and Shirley had visited Denver, where Bill fell in love with the mountains. Bill found a job in Denver with a manufacturer's representative for commercial heating equipment and the couple settled into a small house in Aurora, Colo. Their first son, Michael, was born soon thereafter in 1955, followed by a second son, Kevin (K.C.) in 1957. The marriage did not work out, however, and the couple divorced in 1961. By this time, Bill had purchased the company he worked for from his boss, renaming the company McCoy Sales Corp. Bill worked very hard at building his company, but had also met Marva June Gee. Despite the fact that he had two kids and she had five kids from their previous marriages, they fell in love and married in 1962, forming a life partnership that lasted until his death and creating an early version of the Brady Bunch. Bill's business was nearly destroyed when the Platte River flooded in 1965. His Depression Era roots served him well then, as Bill and Marva, with the help of the kids, were able to salvage much of the inventory and through hard work and perseverance were able to rebuild the business. In 1973, one of Bill's stepsons, Tom, joined the business, working his way up from the warehouse to the front office. The business continued to grow and prosper to the point that Bill could sell the business to Tom in 1980 and retire at the age of 52, beginning the next chapter in his and Marva's life. While on the way to Florida to look at retirement property, Bill and Marva drove through Bella Vista, Ark., in April and fell in love with the area. Deciding to forego Florida, they found a farm to buy that would allow Bill the chance to live one of his greatest dreams of raising cattle and had, of all things, an indoor pool that allowed them to swim year-round. Bill and Marva lived the life of gentlemen farmers and ranchers for several years. Marva's desire for closer neighbors and both of their desire for a shorter commute to the golf course resulted in them selling their farm and moving to a house on Lake Windsor in Bella Vista and, later, to a townhouse on the golf course. Much later, Marva's own failing health resulted in the couple moving to a single story house in Bentonville, Ark. One mark of a life well lived can be measured by the number of friends Bill and Marva had, many for years if not decades. It is an unfortunate fact of life that longevity can be both a blessing and a curse, as many of these friends have been lost in recent years. All of their friendships have been a blessing to them. Bill died surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Marva; his son Michael; his stepdaughters, Pam Lewis and her husband, Wade, and Jeri Ohlander; stepsons, Jim Gee and wife, Elia, Tom Gee and wife, Anne, and Michael Gee; his 95-year-old aunt, Bonnie Taylor; 16 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren; his first wife, Shirley; and numerous cousins. One of Bill's greatest sorrows in life was his son, Kevin McCoy, did not live to reach his 50th birthday. Bill will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him. A memorial service to celebrate Bill's life is scheduled for Saturday, March 9, 2013, at 2 p.m. at St. Theodore's Episcopal Church, 1001 Kingsland Road, Bella Vista, Ark. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to charitable organizations supporting research seeking cures for dementia and Alzheimer's or the care of patients with such afflictions, Washington Regional Hospice House or other hospice homes or other charities of your choice. Online condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.