Sophie F. Mccoy

Sophie Frances McCoy, 101, of Rockford, IL passed away on Saturday, March 7, 2020 in Anam Care. Born May 29, 1918 in Milwaukee, WI; daughter of Joseph and Stella (Stepsis) Rozum. Sophie’s family moved to Rockford when she was a young child and she grew up at the family home on 11th Street. She graduated from Morris Kennedy Grade School, Rockford Senior High School and Hamilton Business College. While in high school, she was an usherette at the State Theater. After high school, Sophie was employed by Illinois Bell Telephone. On September 14, 1944, Sophie married Martin McCoy at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Rockford. After Martin completed a tour of duty with the United States Navy and returned to Rockford, he and Sophie settled in a home on the north end of town in the Signal Hill neighborhood where they lived for 60 years. She was a member of the Cathedral of St. Peter for 63 years, attending daily Mass, serving with the St. Ann’s Society and providing volunteer assistance at the church and school whenever help was needed. Other volunteer work included delivering Meals on Wheels to the elderly. What mattered most to Sophie was her family and her faith in God. She loved being a wife, the mother of four, the grandmother of six and the great-grandmother of twelve. Sophie was a great cook, a master baker of cakes and pies, her pie crusts were extraordinary. She was an expert seamstress, making outfits for herself and her daughters. She enjoyed scouring the city’s garage sales looking for antiques and other items she would give to her family or use in furnishing apartments she managed for more than 30 years. She was a kind, considerate and gentle lady with an endearing smile and beautiful blue eyes. She was never heard to complain and was always happy to help. We are grateful for the wonderful gift we were given to have Sophie as our Mother.
Survivors include children, Michael McCoy of Wanamassa, NJ, Kathleen (Brad) Palmer of Portage, WI, Lawrence McCoy of Rockford and Peggy (William) Dovi of Waterloo, WI; grandchildren, Josh (Anna) Palmer, Shabvon (Trevor) Johnson, Shannon (Greg) Bailey, Elizabeth (Mark) Villani, Brendan (Colleen) McCoy and Kathleen Marsico; great-grandchildren, Noah, Isabella and Sam Johnson, Leo, Axel and Tavish McCoy, Martie and Mallory Gerstenkorn, Charlie Bailey, Louis & Fern Palmer and Anna Marsico. Predeceased by parents, husband, Martin; sister, Josephine Deverman; brother, Bliss Rozum; daughter-in-law, Kathleen McCoy; grandson-in-law, Anthony Marsico. The family would like to thank the staff at Anam Care for their care and compassion and Northern Illinois Hospice for their support.
Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00am on Friday, March 13, 2020 at the Cathedral of St. Peter, 1243 N. Church Street, Rockford with Father Stephen St. Jules officiating. Burial in Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday from 9:30 – 10:45 a.m. at the church. Memorials may be made to the Cathedral of St. Peter or Corpus Christi Monastery of the Poor Clares, 2111 S. Main Street, Rockford, IL 61102. To express condolences online, please visit www.fitzgeraldfh.com