Funeral services announced for former Mississippi Speaker of the House

BOONEVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Funeral services have been set for former Mississippi Speaker of the House of Representatives Billy McCoy.

The visitation and funeral will be at Gaston Baptist Church, near Booneville.

Visitation will be Thursday from 4 until 8 PM and again from 10 a.m until 2 p.m. on Friday. Funeral services will begin at 2 p.m. at the church.

The 77-year-old died yesterday at North Mississippi Medical Center, in Tupelo. He had been hospitalized for about two weeks.

The Democrat, from Rienzi, was first elected to the state House in 1979 and served 28 years.

He was the speaker from January 2004 until January 2012 and chose not to run again after his term ended.