Jessie Lee McCoy

Jessie Lee (Culp) McCoy was born in Magnolia, Arkansas on May 23, 1930. She was the fourth of five children, born to John Culp & Laura (McBride) Landrum. Jessie accepted Christ at an young age and kept Him first and foremost in her life. She was very active in Damascus Baptist Church, the family church, in Magnolia, Arkansas.

Jessie had a close bond with all her siblings. She practiced the values her parents taught them, which were, to love and respect each other and consistently demonstrate love to everyone they came in contact with. Jessie was a friend and confidant to everybody she met.

As a youngster, she was knowledgeable and enjoyed school. She graduated from Magnolia High School in 1949. After finishing school, she met John C. Walker and started a family. To this union, four children were born: Ruby Nell, John Charles, Joel, and Rosie Mae. 

Jessie Lee later moved to Muskegon, Michigan, where she met Willie McCoy, AKA "The Real McCoy," and began a courtship. His pet name for her was "The Bae”. He loved “The Bae” and the children with all his heart. They were soon married and welcomed five more children, Carolyn Diane, Willie Jr., Cynthia, Theresa, and Darrell McCoy.

Willie and Jessie were a big, happy, blended family; active and committed to the church. All nine children were brought up faithfully in Zion West Side/Mount Herman Zion Baptist Church. Willie and Jessie read the Bible and prayed a lot. He served as a deacon, and she served on the Mother Board.

Jessie was a devoted mother, homemaker and faithful in worship service to the Lord. She encouraged all young women to do the same. She lived a full good life and enjoyed it thoroughly. After her Savior, her family was her pride and joy. When her health took a turn, she was not as active, but her heart and spirit never ceased nor wavered from serving the Lord.

Jessie loved to travel! Her motto was, "You say LET'S…. and I say GO!" She traveled to Las Vegas and Washington State with her sister Closie in her younger years. She took many trips back to Magnolia with her daughters Ruby, Rosie, Cynthia, Theresa, and niece Ann to visit sisters Natha and Dessie. She enjoyed many trips to Germany, where she saw castles and The Black Forest, while visiting her son Charles, his faithful mate, Bircik Sevinc, and special son/friend Robert Cannon. She visiting her children Ruby, Cynthia, and Joel in Kansas, where she visited a military base and danced in the Gulf of Mexico while in Texas visiting her daughter Ruby. She seen the mountains in Portland, Oregon while visiting her son Willie Jr., and his family. With the exception of Germany, when she left Michigan, she continued to be surrounded by 5 generations of love.

It wasn’t that she just enjoyed going fishing, she was one of the best in Muskegon and went often. Crossword puzzles were another passion. She enjoyed dancing, and listening to gospel music and the blues. Jessie was an outstanding cook and found great joy in cooking for her family. Some of her best dishes were vegetable beef soup, greens, macaroni and cheese, hot water cornbread, buttermilk cornbread, chicken and dressing, chicken and dumplings, purple hull peas, pinto beans, fried chicken, pork chops, pot roast with gravy, smothered chicken in gravy and fried fish.

Jessie was known for her beautiful dresses, suits, hats, shoes, and furs. She had an extensive array of items in her closet. It looked like a boutique, and all the girls in the family dropped in to borrow from it. Even in her 90s, she was still strutting and outdressing the best of us. Knowing that she loved to dress, her children, grandchildren, and nieces always knew what to gift her for birthdays and holidays.

She was a pillar in her neighborhood, and everyone knew Mrs. Jessie! She was adored and loved by ALL. Mrs. Jessie loved sitting outdoors, and would say, "I'm just sitting out here on the garry, watching the world go by." Those of us who knew her understood that garry meant porch. 

On the Lord's Day, Sunday, August 20, 2023, Jessie Lee McCoy, at 93, was called to glory with her family by her bedside. She was preceded in death by husband, Willie McCoy, Sr., father, John C. Culp; mother, Laura (McBride) Landrum; children, Ruby Nell Thomas and John Charles Walker; grandsons, Willie (June-June) Johnson and DeMario Walker; granddaughters, Bridget King, Tamika Brown and Taraya McCoy; great-grandsons, John L. Thomas III, Bennie Gamble Jr, and Corion Davis; great-great granddaughter, Ja'Nia Lynch, sisters, Nobie, Natha, Closie, Polly, Loraine and brothers, Timothy, Lavell, and Ricky.

She leaves to cherish her memory, children, Joel Walker, Rosie Mae Walker, Carolyn Diane McCoy, Cynthia Denise Stephenson, and Darrell (Donna) McCoy, all of Muskegon, Michigan; Willie McCoy Jr. (Celica), of Portland, Oregon, Theresa Winters of Ypsilanti, Michigan, sister, Dessie Lee Parker of Detroit, Michigan; 33 grandchildren, 95 great-grandchildren, 68 great-great grandchildren, special nieces Ann Goetsch, Vern McIntosh and Novella Malone, Goddaughter Robin Mitchell, and host of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.