Bob McCoy

ROSSVILLE Robert Howard "Bob" McCoy, 84, died Monday, Nov. 19, 2012, at his residence surrounded by his family.He was born Dec. 31, 1927 to the late John L. and Faye Shirley McCoy. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Harold McCoy and Fred McCoy. Mr. McCoy grew up in Tiftonia and excelled in sports in high school and college. He graduated from Central High School in 1947 where he played five sports and earned eleven varsity letters. In football he was All-City, All-State and All Southern and held the prep scoring record for over 20 years with 150 points. He was nicknamed the "Wauhatchee Express'' by former Chattanooga Times-Free Press Sports Writer, Dexter Van Zant. He also was part of a State Championship Football Team while at Central.After graduating from Central High School, he attended Georgia Tech where he continued excelling in football and baseball earning eight varsity letters. Mr. McCoy was captain of the baseball team and played both offense and defense in football earning All-SEC honors. He is among the leaders in pass interceptions and held the record for the longest touchdown from scrimmage (87 yards) for 60 years at Georgia Tech. He played in the Orange Bowl on the 1948 team that defeated Kansas. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams football team and St. Louis Cardinals baseball team after finishing college.He often said how honored he was to get to play for Coach E.B. Etter and Coach Bobby Dodd for not only were they great coaches but also great men.He was inducted in the Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame and was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni of Central High School. Mr. McCoy was a member of the Greater Chattanooga Half Century Club.After finishing at Tech, he moved to Rossville where he was employed by Peerless Woolen Mills. He was an outstanding fast pitch softball player for the Peerless Woolens and was a popular coach in the recreation program for many years. After the mill closed, he worked in management at Chattanooga Glass Co. where he retired.Mr. McCoy had served in public service as Rossville City Councilman, Rossville City Judge and Georgia State Representative. Mr. McCoy served as president with the Rossville Kiwanis Club, president of the Rossville Jaycees, a member of the Rossville Masonic Lodge #397 F&AM, director Emeritus Community National Bank formerly Rossville Bank, also serves on the board of Walker Technical College (Georgia Northwestern), and the board of Hutcheson Medical Center. He was a charter member and president of Battlefield Golf Club and a charter member of Peerless Plungers Investment Club. Mr. McCoy was a member of Simpson United Methodist Church for over 60 years where he was very active in the Outreach Sunday School Class and served in many leadership positions within the church throughout those years.Survivors are his wife of 63 years, Jean McCoy; children, Dr. Michael McCoy, Chattanooga and Susan (David) Wells, Rossville; precious granddaughters, Dr. Katie Wells, Columbus, Ohio, and Elizabeth Wells, Chattanooga; sister-in-law, Anne McCoy, Ringgold; niece, Jeannie (Al) Schay, Little Rock, Ark.; and several cousins.Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Janice Keebler officiating. Interment will be in Tennessee-Georgia Memorial Park.Honorary pallbearers will be the Simpson United Methodist Church Outreach Class and his golfing buddies, Bennie Dendy, John Llewellyn and Fred Prater.In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to Simpson United Methodist Church, 601 McFarland Ave., Rossville, GA 30741 or Coach E.B. Etter Scholarship Fund, c/o Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, 1270 Market St., Chattanooga, TN 37402 or Hearth/Hutcheson Hospice, 100 Mitchell Road, Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742.The family would like to express a special thanks to Hearth/Hutcheson Hospice, Dr. William Horton and caregivers, Tonya Sexton, Phyllis Moses, Paige Osburn and Laverna Soucie for their kindness and compassionate care.Visit www.heritagefh.com to share words of comfort with the family and view the memorial tribute.The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday and one hour prior to the service on Saturday at Heritage Funeral Home and Crematory, Battlefield Parkway.