Jesse McCoy

Jesse Elwon McCoy, age 83, of Fonda, Iowa died Saturday, June 25, 2011 at the Fonda Nursing and Rehab Center in Fonda. Jesse Elwon McCoy was born August 4, 1927, to William F. and Nora Kelly McCoy, in Iroquois, South Dakota. The family later moved to the Woodbury County, Iowa area where Jesse attended rural area schools, graduating from Climbing Hill High School in 1945. In 1945, Jesse joined the U.S. Navy and served as a Seabee on the island of Guam. After serving his country, he returned to the Climbing Hill area. On October 16, 1948, he was married to Dorothy McGarr. In 1955, they moved to Lakeside, Iowa and raised their family. Jesse was a member of the Lakeside City Council for several years. He coached Little League baseball and was a member of the Schaller VFW. Jesse worked for Hygrade Food products for 30 years, until its closing in 1981. He served as a union steward and was a board member of the Hygrade Credit Union. He also farmed and raised hogs east of Storm Lake. For Jesse and Dottie, a dream came true when they purchased the acreage at Connellâ€™s Corner. Their family, which now included grandchildren, shared many happy times during their years on the farm. When Jesse retired from farming, he and Dottie both enjoyed working at Cobblestone Inn during its final years of operation. Jesse later worked as a custodian for St. Maryâ€™s School, especially enjoying many special â€œGrandparentsâ€™ Daysâ€ with his own grandchildren and all the kids who adopted him as their grandpa for the day. Dottie died in March 1989. The St. Maryâ€™s parish family was a great comfort to Jesse during her illness and death. Jesse became a member of the Catholic Church in 1990. He joined the Knights of Columbus and became a Fourth Degree Knight. In 1997, Jesse married Millie Wolterman Noethe at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Fonda, Iowa. They shared a love of dancing, music and sports. In addition to singing in the OLGC church choir, they golfed in couples league, attended area dances and Knights of Columbus events, served Meals on Wheels, and most of all, spent precious time with their ever-growing family. In October of 2010, a highlight of Jesseâ€™s later years happened when he was able to make a World War II Honor Flight, visiting the Washington D.C. area memorials and witnessing the changing of the guard at Arlington Cemetery. Surviving Jesse are his wife, Millie of Fonda, Iowa; his children: Bill (Jackie) of Norfolk, Nebraska; Kerry (Terry) Noethe of Fonda, Iowa; Susan (David) Beckman of Burlington, Iowa; Anne (Jerry) Smith of Storm Lake, Iowa; son-in-law James Schall of Storm Lake, Iowa; stepchildren Sandra (John) Wells of Fonda, Iowa; James (Beth) Noethe of Lake View, Iowa; Lisa Noethe of Carroll, Iowa; and Jan Noethe (spouse of Millieâ€™s son Daniel Noethe) of Portland, Oregon; twenty-two grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; sisters, Margie (Jim) Abbott of Yankton, South Dakota; and Kay Schulz of Climbing Hill, Iowa; brother James (Betty) McCoy of Chugiak, Alaska; sister-in-law Carol (Reid) McCoy of Rapid City, South Dakota; brother-in-law Roger (Arlene) Cross of Penney Farms, Florida; and a great number of nieces, nephews and extended family. Jesse was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Dorothy; daughter Deb Schall; son-in-law Larry Sippel; great-granddaughters: Lilith and Lucille Paulsen; brothers and sisters-in-law: Delbert and Ethel McCoy; (Harold) Ray and Marilyn McCoy; and Reid and Margaret McCoy; sisters and brothers-in-law: Leona and Harold Pretlove; Evelyn and Roy Stevens; and Arlene Harm Cross; brother-in-law Fred (Kay) Schulz; nephews: Terry Abbott; and Richard McCoy; and great nephew, Nick Staum. Memorials may be directed to the Fonda Nursing and Rehab Center or BV County Hospice.

Jesse McCoy

August 4, 1927 - June 25, 2011