Viva McCoy

Friday, November 19, 2010

Warren Weldon McCoy

Birth: October 28, 1936

Death: March 22, 1999

Warren was born in Pampa, Texas. He was the son of Donald Mack McCoy. His mother's name was Loraine Warren. He was named after his uncle, Weldon B. Warren. He had one brother, Donald Eugene. Warren married Judith Lee Schumaker Mruphy on July 19, 1958 and they stayed happily married until his death. They had two sons, Donald Mack and Michael Ray. His grandson's name is Michael Warren and his granddaughters are named Maegan Jo and Madeline Kay. He was a proud, hard-working and honest person. His family was his passion. His death was caused by exposure to asbestos during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lung) in July of 1997. He left us far to early and his is missed very much. He left a great legacy to his sons and grandchildren. His headstone at the Houston National Cemetery reads: Warren Weldon McCoy, US Marine Corp, Cpl. Korean War, October 28, 1936, March 22, 1999. "Ain't too bad, this'll work" is engraved on his stone. This phrase was a favorite of Warren's. This is usually how he responded when his family asked him a question or wanted his opinion. He is buried in section M2, grave #491. This is the next to the last row in his section. This and other pictures, notes and comments can be found on findagrave.com

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Mr. Mack

One of the saddest things for me is to walk into an antique shop and see boxes of old pictures and old pictures in old frames. I always wonder who the people were - they had mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, children - but here their pictures sit. Nobody knows who they were or what their names were.

I want you to meet Mr. Mack - this picture will probably end up in one of those boxes someday because Mr. Mack does not mean anything to anybody except me.

Here is what I know of Mr. Mack - he was married and he and his wife had no children. He didn't even really like children. One day his wife threw some hot oil out the back door and the wind blew it back on her. She died from complications of this.

My great-grandmother, Ada Bodie, was good friends with Mr. Mack's wife. After Mr. Mack's wife's death, he did not have anyone to take care of him. My great-grandmother became Mr. Mack's housekeeper.

When I was about four years old, my Mother left my Father (they later divorced) and she brought me to Texas and we lived with my great-grandmother and Mr. Mack. The porch he is sitting on in the picture is the front porch of the house. It is still at 210 Hutchins Street in Houston, Texas.

Remember I wrote that Mr. Mack did not like children? Well, that was true until I came along. According to my Mother, he adored me. He told me stories and he always told me about how he won at dominos when he would go to the domino parlor each week. That is about all I remember about him.

I was told that he worked for the railroad for many years and that he also played baseball.

Mr. Mack committed suicide. The day Grannie told him that she was not able to care for him any longer and that she was putting him in a nursing home, he pulled out his gun and shot himself in the head.

I was given two things of Mr. Mack's. One is a small round gold pin - it had a diamond in it, but that diamond is now in the wedding ring of my daughter-in-law, Tiffany. Someday that ring will probably go to my granddaughter, Madeline and I want her to know the story of one of the diamonds in the ring. I still have the pin.

The other thing that I have is Mr. Mack's pewter baby cup and pitcher. It is engraved with his name and the date - I can barely see them anymore, but I know they are well over 125 years old. They sit on a shelf above the door in my bedroom. This cup and pitcher won't mean anything to anyone after I am gone, but perhaps this story will mean something.

So, to you, Mr. Mack - I say thank you for loving me when I was a child.

Posted by Judith Lee McCoy - wife of Warren Weldon McCoy

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Happy Birthday Warren

Thursday, October 28 was Warren's birthday. He would have been 74. On March 22, it will be eleven years since his death. His beautiful family still flourishes and a lot of that is due to Warren. He taught "his boys" how to love a family and how to create pride within the McCoy family. He has missed so much, but as his beautiful Granddaughter, Maddi, says - "It's ok Nana. He can see us." So I know that he is watching Maddie grow, watching Michael become a wonderful man with a wonderful wife. He is watching as Maegan is happy with her life. He is watching me and I feel his presence every day. He sees his son, Mike and his son Donny and I am sure he is smiling and beaming with joy. He helped raise two very fine men. He will always be missed but so many memories of him walk across my mind every day. (Posted by Judy McCoy, wife of 42 years).

Monday, July 19, 2010

Today is July 19th, 2010. On this day 52 years ago Warren and I eloped and married. What a day! We had no reason to elope - Warren was 21 and I was 18 and my Mom really liked Warren. She once told me that he looked like someone had just given him a good scrubbing - Warren was an impeccable dresser. When we were dating, he wore starched jeans and white shirts and his shoes had that Marine Corp shine. He had spent three years in the Corp. I had told my Mom we were going to the Balanese Room in Galveston and we went to Richmond to a JP. We stayed at the King's Motel on Old Spanish Trail that night. We went home the next day and got our things. We rented a $40 a month garage apartment from a friend of Warren's. Warren has been gone 11 years this past March, but I still celebrate my marriage. Had he lived, we would be celebrating together. He was a wonderful father and husband. EVERY year he would give me a card and I still have every one he has ever given me. So, on this day I say Happy Anniversary to me and to my Warren who now is with the Lord.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Father's Day 2010

Father's Day is approaching. Yellow roses of Texas grow in heaven, Lord pick a bunch for me. Place them in my father's arms and tell him they are from me. Tell him that I love and miss him. When he turns to smile place a kiss upon his cheek and hold him for a long time, because remembering him is easy, I do it every day. There's an ache in my heart that will never go away.

Love, Donny

Father's Day

Sunday, June 20, 2010 - Father's Day. I still miss buying Warren Father's Day cards. He was a great Dad. He did not spend a lot of time playing ball, etc. with the boys. He was always working so they could have a good life. Warren made sure his family had a good life. He was kind, honest, caring, hard-working and his family was his passion. The last year he was with us on Father's Day was in 1998. I cannot believe the years have passed so quickly. I know he is looking down from Heaven and he is beaming with pride as he watches his family. His grandchildren, Maegan Jo, Michael Warren and Madeline Kay are making him proud. AND his "boys" - I cannot begin to tell you how proud he is right now. So, my message to Warren today is, "Sweetheart, you are missed so much and we thank you for the values you taught us and for the love you gave us." When I mention Warren to Madeline, she looks to see if I am crying and she always tells me, "It's ok Nana, he can see us."

Thursday, December 31, 2009

That Flying Sucker Frog Again

We had gone back to Venezuela. We were having so many problems with everything. Nothing worked and I hated it! This was one day in 1994, not too long after we arrived. I wrote this story while I was waiting for the frog to leave.

THE RETURN OF THE FLYING SUCKER FROG

A flying sucker frog on the back gate! How in the world am I going to get that gate unlocked so I can pick up 500 rotten mangos? I have a decision to make. Do I risk the frog flying at me or do I leave the mangos and fight the flies and ants? This is a major decision!!

I need to do the laundry, but the washer and dryer are on the patio-just a few feet from the frog. What if he decides to leap at me because I am disturbing his sleep. Is it worth it to sneak onto the patio and risk my life to put clothes in a dryer with a door that needs to be taped shut in order to dry my clothes? The washer will make a lot of noise and, perhaps, wake my friend and cause him to leap at me. Guess I have enough clean clothes to last until he decides he wants to leave us. I don't know though, he looks to be settled in for the rest of the century.

But, then there is the water! My bottled water is on the patio. Yeah, just a few feet from my friend, the frog. Do I dare to risk it? The tap water couldn't be that bad. Well, that is, if you could get the faucet to turn on. Wonder if the frog had anything to do with that? Maybe he wants me on the patio - that's why the dryer door clip the repairman brought me won't work. The frog wants me out there. Perhaps I could go out the front door - now what good would that do me? My water and dryer are on the patio. I wish I had taken survival training. Is it twenty-four hours or twenty-four days that a person can go without water? As my Mother looks down from Heaven, what would she say if I had an accident and didn't have on clean underwear?

And my broom! And my mop! How am I going to get them. My arms aren't long enough to reach them from the doorway or the window. Couldn't reach them through the window even if my arms were long enough. The window is made of four-inch glass panes and they won't open anyway - they are supposed to though.

What about my salt? I was going to put it on the patio to dry out. Well, I guess if the rest of the people here can live with wet salt, so can I.

Maybe I can throw something at him. But what if I actually hit him and he squirted all over the patio?

He's in the wrong place! It's not me he came to terrorize. He remembers a day twenty-five years ago when my husband distrubed him in a little bathroom over a Chinese restaurant in a small town not too far from here. He has come back for revenge. How do I let him know that my husband is a few miles away from here and that I would be delighted to show him the way?

Every once in a while he moves. His positions take on meaning. What meaning? Attack now or later? Am I to live as a prisoner in this house?

What if something goes wrong with the water pump that is on the patio? Well, I already know how long I can live without water - or do I?

The trash needs to be put out. Why did I decide to leave those bags on the back patio anyway? Trash pickup is out front. Without a garbage disposal, you can imagine what the trash will smell like in a couple of days. It will be interesting to see how long I can hold my breath at one time. Wish I had taken survival training. Well, the smell of rotten mangos and garbage can't be that bad, can it? There is a difference between garbage and trash, you know. What I have is garbage!

I wonder how he flys. Is he stuck like glue? Is he waiting until 500 more mangos drop and rot? How do I let him know that if he will just leave and give me a forwarding address, I will send the mangos to him?

Night falls and the laundry is not done and I have discovered that I can go a full day without water. The grit and dirt on the floors seem to add a "lived in" look to the house. I have twenty-four pairs of underwear and I know he can't last twenty-four days without food or water. All I have to do is wait him out. I have a television that I can't understand, newspapers that I can't read - what more do I need?

So, Mr. Flying, Sucking Frog - stay there! You don't know who you're messing with. I am a hard-headed, stubborn woman from Texas with German ancestors.