Reverend Benard Harace McCoy, 90, of Port Arthur, Texas died Saturday, November 7, 2015 at SE TX Medical Center, Port Arthur, Texas after being hospitalized for approximately one week.
He was born on March 11, 1925 in Lufkin, Texas (at the Rocky Hill Community) to Benard Daniel and Arzelia Russell McCoy.
On June 7, 1943, Harace and Archie Myrl Morehead were married in Huntington, Texas. He served in the U. S. Army during World War II and in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), June 23, 1943 until March 20, 1946. He served in the European Theater of WWII and was stationed near London, England and in Paris, France.
Harace was a resident of Port Arthur for 46 years, the pastor of First Pentecostal Church of Port Arthur, and the “Bishop” senior pastor in his later years.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Archie Myrl McCoy; parents, Benard Daniel McCoy and Arzelia Russell McCoy (Wall); stepdad, Thomas R. Wall, brother, Uland Cecil McCoy; sisters, Ellen Wall Waller, Era Wall Steptoe; brothers, Edward Wall, Joe Wall, Grady Wall, Burtis Wall, Floyd Wall; one great-grandchild, Vera Grace Tuttle.
Survivors include his children, sons, Reverend Randall B. McCoy of Port Arthur, TX and wife Linda, Reverend Darrell L. McCoy and wife, Sherry of Nederland, TX; daughter, Angela G. Horn and husband, Greg of Hesperia, CA; sister, Dr. Vera Wall Montgomery of Huntsville, TX; brother, Desmond L. Wall of San Augustine, TX; grandchildren, Brian McCoy of Springfield, MO, Melinda McCoy Maylee of St. Louis, MO, Michelle McCoy Tuttle of Vidor, TX, Joel McCoy, Shara McCoy Powell, Nathan McCoy, Jonathan McCoy all of Nederland, TX, Chrissie Horn Velasquez of Houston, TX, Ivy Horn Peterson of Cleburne, TX, Eartha Horn Baca of Sherman Oaks, CA; and 22 great – grandchildren.
A visitation for family and friends will be Wednesday, November 11, 2015 from 5 pm – 9 pm at First Pentecostal Church, Port Arthur, Texas.
Funeral services will be Thursday, November 12, 2015 at 1:00 pm at First Pentecostal Church, Port Arthur, Texas
A graveside service will be Friday November 13, 2015 at 11:00 am at Sims Cemetery in Rocky Hill Community, 11 miles East of Lufkin, Texas off Hwy 103E, under the direction of Levingston Funeral Home in Groves, Texas.
The Pallbearers are Brian McCoy, Joel McCoy, Nathan McCoy, Jonathan McCoy, Lawrence Powell, Jason Maylee, Brian Peterson, Elvin Velasquez, and Matthew Tuttle. The Honorary Pallbearers are the Men of First Pentecostal Church of Port Arthur and The Pentecostals of Nederland.