A graveside service will be held for McCoy Micky Choate, age 89, at Sunset Memorial Cemetery, at 2:00 pm, Sunday, November 6. Mr. Choate was born in Lilbert, Texas, on January 17, 1922, and died in a local nursing care facility on October 30, 2011.
After graduating from Cushing High School in 1941, Mr. Choate worked three years at the North American Aviation Plant in Grand Prairie, supervising a crew that made cockpits for the new P-51 fighters. After foregoing the opportunity to keep continuous draft deferments, Mr. Choate entered the U. S. Army in 1944. After receiving his basic training at Camp Fannin in Tyler, Mr. Choate served in the 35th Infantry Division in France and Germany. He was in continuous combat for 69 days and ultimately was wounded and captured on December 12, 1944, in a river crossing into Habkirchen, Germany. Private Choate suffered from untreated frost bite to both feet, 17 shrapnel wounds, and near starvation, losing more than 100 pounds before being liberated on April 14, 1945. He received five battle stars, a bronze medal, an infantry badge, good conduct medal, marksmanship medal, and purple heart. After returning to Nacogdoches after World War II, he met and married Priscilla Mercer, and they enjoyed 64 years together. Mr. Choate was a mail carrier 33 years with the U. S. Postal Service, and was a lifelong vegetable gardener and devoted neighbor to all who lived near him.
Mr. Choate was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Mary Choate, and his two sisters, Imogene Denson and Inelle Weaver. He was also preceded in death by his son Larry Choate.
He is survived by his son Mark Choate and his wife Lorinda, of Austin, Texas, and their three daughters, Kendall, Heather, and Laura. He is also survived by two grandsons, Robert Choate and his wife Amy, of Frisco, Texas, and Scott Choate, of Clovis, California, as well as six great-grandchildren.
The family would like to extend a thank you to Hospice of East Texas and Lexington Place Nursing facility, for the kindness they showed to Mr. Choate in his final days. The family also is deeply grateful for the devotion showed to Mr. Choate by three very important special friends, Pot Mercer, Jack Gardner, and Bob Melton. Visitation will be held at Laird Funeral Home between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm, Saturday, November 5. Pastor Dock Lazarine will conduct the memorial service.
