O. W. "Don" McCoy

Funeral Service for O.W. "Don" McCoy will be at 10:00 AM on Monday, December 30, 2024 at Agent Mallory Martin Chapel in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. Burial will follow at McCoy Evening Shade Cemetery in Vian, Oklahoma under the direction of Agent Mallory Martin Funeral Service, Inc.

O. W. "Don" McCoy, 79, of Gore, Oklahoma, passed away on December 23, 2024. Born on August 16, 1945, in Westville, Oklahoma, Don was the son of Jessie Marie (Plum) McCoy and Stand Waite McCoy. Don grew up “on the mountain” just West of Vian. He often shared stories about riding his horse to cross the creek with his siblings to head to school. 

Don has been in the construction trade his entire life. He spent several years working for the Cherokee Nation Housing Authority. He thought he wanted to retire, but then Harris Construction convinced him that his expertise was still needed and offered Don a supervisor position. Don constantly “threatened” Richard Harris with retirement; however, Richard always told him not until the job was done. Upon his death, Don was a full-time Supervisor for Harris Construction, overseeing the completion of a senior living complex for the Muskogee Nation. 

Don married the love of his life, Paula Marie McCoy, in Waxahachie, Texas, in December of 1982. Due to Don’s work, they lived in Texas for a few more months before moving back to Oklahoma to be closer to family. For several years, Don and Paula made their home next door to his brother, Alex McCoy, in Oktaha, Oklahoma. In the early 1990s, Don and Paula found the perfect piece of land a few miles west of Beggs, Oklahoma. Don and Paula designed and built their own home on this plot of land with a barn and added a few horses.

It was around this time that Don started gaining a love for roping. He would spend much of his time with his brothers Ray and Larry up “on the hill” at McCoys Arena in Beggs. A story has been told that one day, Don decided to mount up and try roping. After that, he was hooked. He spent a lot of time on that hill with his brothers, roping, riding, and team penning. This is also where Don formed many life-long friendships, some of which are still going strong today. Don was also a mentor to several of the young kids who came in and out of the arena. At any given time, you would see Don out there with either one of his granddaughters, Ashlyn and Hannah, or his nephew, Philip, and niece, Kimber (aka Bess). You would find Paula working in the concession stand, making her famous burgers and brownies. Many conversations happened in that concession stand.

We cannot forget his loving sisters. Every holiday, his sister Lois had a huge gathering at her house on the creek. You would be there for hours, and eventually, all the siblings would stop by at some point in the day to check in, hug necks, and take a sibling group picture. Over the last several months, Don and his brother Ray would spend Sunday evening eating dinner at Lois's house. Don’s sister Dorothy would always spoil him by ironing his pants and shirts to make sure he was always dressed to a “T”. She would spray on that heavy starch and get those creases just right; she made sure he “shined” when he walked out the door to start his day.

Around 2012, Don and Paula decided to move to Gore, Oklahoma. This was home to Don, where he grew up as a child and where most of his siblings lived. This is where he wanted to live out his last days. On several occasions, his daughter would talk to him about moving closer to Beggs again. He would always say, “Liz, this is mine and your mother’s home…. I am not going anywhere; this is my home.”

Beneath his tough exterior was a heart full of love. He could be stubborn and set in his ways (just ask his nieces Teresa & Heather), but he loved deeply. His love was not always spoken, but it was always felt. He could say “I love you” without actually saying it through his advice, life lessons, and the time he spent with those he cared about the most. As for his children, Jim, Gary, and Liz, we always strived to make him proud. Regardless of the road we traveled in life, Don always talked about how proud he was of us to anyone who would listen.

These days, you would find Don driving to work every day, eating at the Mexican restaurant for lunch with his brothers Ray and Larry, and then making sure everyone else in his life was doing what they were supposed to be doing. There are no words to explain how deeply he will be missed, but we all know he is in heaven celebrating with those who have gone before him.

Survivors are daughter, Elizabeth Beesley and husband, David; three sisters, Gladys Winsel, Dorothy McMahan, and Lois Hart and husband, Carroll; one brother, Larry McCoy and wife, Polly; eight grandchildren, Jerry Don McCoy and wife, Jamie, Ashlyn Marie Beesley, Hannah Mae Beesley, Rob McCoy and wife, MaRyssa, Naaman McCoy, Jimmy Don (JD) Jr. and wife, Shannon, Tyler McCoy, and Bobby Don McCoy and wife, Samantha and Dessiree Viefhaus; along with numerous great-grandchildren. 

Don also had a significant role in the upbringing of Betty Rector.

Don touched the lives of many nieces and nephews along the way as well as numerous friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Paula McCoy; parents; three sisters, Betty Lou Brown, Alice Scoggins and Christine Miska; four brothers, Elight McCoy, Alex McCoy; Norman McCoy and Ray McCoy; and two sons, Jimmy Don McCoy and Gary Lynn McCoy. Don also had a significant role in the lives of Dennis Beach and Sandra Washington.

Active Pallbearers will be Jerry Don McCoy, Philip McCoy, Jason McWaters, Claude Brigance, Rodney Demery and Willie McGowan. 

Honorary Pallbearers will be Rob McCoy, JD McCoy, Naaman McCoy, Ashlyn Beesley, Hannah Beesley, Bobby Don McCoy, Carroll “Rabbit (aka Fuzz) Hart, Bob Han, David Beesley, Danny Mantooth, Jody Johnson, Tanner Brigance and multiple nieces and nephews. 

Viewing will be 2 - 8 PM Sunday at Agent Mallory Martin Funeral Home in Sallisaw, OK where the family will greet 3 - 5 PM.