Wendel Thomas McCoy

Wendel Thomas McCoy, 72, died on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at his residence. He was the Veteran's Service Officer for Carroll County. Funeral Services for Mr. McCoy will be Friday, November 16, 2012 at 2:00pm at Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason, TN. Burial will be Monday, November 19, 2012 at 1:00pm at Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, Nashville, TN. Visitation will be Thursday, November 15, 2012 at 5:00pm-8:00pm at the funeral home and visitation on Friday will be at the church from 1:00pm until service time. Mr. McCoy was born in Ripley, TN on January 23, 1940, to the late Samuel and Bessie McCoy. After graduating from Ripley High School he entered the United States Navy in August 1958. During his fourteen years of enlisted service he served at the Naval Hospital Charleston, SC; 2nd Force Troops, FMFLANT, Camp Lejeune, NC; Naval Reserve Training Center, Miami, FL; River Patrol Section, Vinh Long, Vietnam; Naval Air Station, Memphis, TN; and he completed the Associate Degree Completion Program, Pensacola Junior College, Pensacola, FL. The Highest enlisted rank held was Master Chief Hospital Corpsman. He received his commission as an Ensign in the Medical Service Corps in August 1972. Subsequent to his commissioning he served at the Naval Regional Medical Center Philadelphia, PA as the Assistant Patient Affairs Officer; Naval School of Health Care Administration, Bethesda, MD as a student; Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport MS as Assistant to the Resident Officer in Charge of Construction of the Naval Home; Naval Aerospace Regional Medical Center, Pensacola, FL as Head Operating services; Second Marine Division, FMFLANT, Camp Lejeune, NC as Fleet Marine Force Medical Staff Officer; Naval Dental Center, Camp Lejeune, NC as Director for Administration; Naval Medical Command, Southeast Region, Jacksonville, FL as Director Contingency Operations, Executive Assistant for the Commander and Director of Administration; Office-in-Charge, Branch Medical Clinic, Naval Air Station, Kingsville, TX; Administrative Support Unit, Southwest Asia, Bahrain as Head Medical Department and interim Executive Officer for six months; Joint Medical Readiness Training Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX as Chief of Support Department and Deputy Chief of JMRTC, Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute, San Antonio TX as Deputy Commander for Administration. Mr. McCoy earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from George Washington University in May 1975 and a Master of Science in Management from Troy State University in September 1978. He taught senior level management courses at Troy State University. Mr. McCoy's awards include, Defense Meritorious Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation with two gold stars, Navy Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Citation, Three Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Medal, Republic of Vietnam Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Vietnam Campaign, Vietnam Civic Action Unit Citation and Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, Mason, Shriner and a member of Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason, TN. He is survived by his wife of fifty-one years, Carol A. McCoy, one son Tom (Andrea) McCoy of Manassas, VA; three brothers, Larry (Alice) McCoy of Ripley, Ken(Debbie) McCoy of Germantown, and Sam (Rita) McCoy of Jackson and ; two sisters, Pat(Jerry) Heathcott, Ripley and Rebecca Mullikin, South Haven, MS In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be made to the USO or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis,TN 38105-1942