Dessie Mae McCord

Dessie Mae McCord left this world peacefully on June 24, 2026, just days before her eighty-fifth birthday. She was born in Northport, Alabama to the late to the late Luther Claude Smith and Bertha Thelma Ramsey Smith. A beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, Dessie touched the lives of all who knew her with her kindness, wit, and unwavering devotion to her family and community.

Dessie’s story began in Coker, Alabama, where she spent her formative years and graduated from Tuscaloosa County High School in 1959. From early on, she was a gifted student, full of curiosity and a drive to learn—a quality that would steer the course of her life. She furthered her education at Livingston University, earning her Bachelor’s degree in 1963 with a major in History and a minor in Physical Education. Her passion for teaching and learning led her to receive her Master’s degree in Education from Livingston University in the 1970s, as well as a certificate in Elementary Education.

Dessie answered a true calling as an educator. She began her teaching career in 1963 at A.G. Parish High School in Selma, Alabama, where she inspired students in her classroom and beyond. In 1969, she became a beloved figure at East Perry County High School, serving as the Physical Education teacher. For nearly two decades, she coached softball, basketball, and volleyball, even taking up cheerleading coaching for a year. Her commitment to nurturing young athletes extended to her simultaneous role as P.E. Teacher at Suttle Elementary School for several years. Dessie’s love for sports and physical activity made her a role model to generations of students, many of whom carried her encouragement with them for life. She retired in 1986, having left an indelible mark on countless lives.

Dessie’s own childhood and youth were filled with laughter, games, and spirited competition. She was gifted at sports, and the joy she found in play filled her home and neighborhood. Often, she would bring equipment from school and set it up in her yard, inviting the neighborhood children to learn and play badminton or volleyball under her guidance. These memories of barefoot games in the grass and Dessie’s cheerful coaching remain treasured among those who shared them.

Faith and fellowship were at the heart of Dessie’s life. For over fifty years, she sang joyfully in the choir at Fairview Baptist Church, lending her voice and spirit to worship and community. Her service did not end with song—she was the steadfast coach and pitcher for the ladies’ softball league at Fairview Baptist Church in the 1970s, demonstrating her characteristic commitment to teamwork and fun.

Dessie’s home was always open to laughter and love. She was known for gathering family and friends around the card table for lively games of Mexican Train Dominoes and Rook, especially with her siblings. The bonds among them were strong, and these games brought joy and togetherness throughout Dessie’s life. Equally, she loved cheering on her favorite team—Alabama football—her enthusiasm infectious during every exciting game.

Travel offered Dessie more opportunities to make memories; she relished spontaneous adventures in her RV, swooping up her children, friends, and fellow church families, to vacation in Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee. These trips, often unplanned but always full of delight and discovery, reflected Dessie’s zest for life and devotion to sharing experiences with those she loved.

Of all her achievements and joys, nothing meant more to Dessie than her family. She is deeply mourned and lovingly remembered by her daughters, Carol (Bradley) Burchette and Pamela (Brian) Sharpe; her grandchildren: Tabitha (Caleb) Lewis, Claudia Klein, Lydia (Jared) Forth, Miriam (Austin) Rasmussen, Davis Burchett, Nathanael Burchett, Brandi (Jordan) Dennis, and Brett (Rachel) Sharpe; and her great-grandchildren: Rebecca Lewis, Aidan Lewis, Rose Klein, Rowan Klein, Lawrence Rasmussen, Conner Rasmussen, Audrey Rasmussen, Anja Rasmussen, Colton Dennis, and Crawford Dennis and a host of nieces and nephews. Dessie’s legacy of faith, kindness, and grace will live on in each of them.

She is also survived by her cherished sister, Louise Albertson, and her sisters-in-law, Betty Smith, Wilma Pierce Horton and Alta Davis. The family takes comfort in knowing that Dessie is reunited with those who went before her: her husbands, Clarence Thomas Davis and James Farrell McCord; her siblings William Smith, Anita Thigpin, Sarah Beavers, James Smith, Levenia Channel, Rondel Smith and Dorothy Penton; and brothers- and sisters-in-law Evelyn Smith, Hassell Thigpin, Bob Turberville Henry Beavers, Leland Channel, Tip Sanford, Gene Albertson, and John Penton.

Funeral services will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at Fairview Baptist Church with Rev. Mike White officiating and Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home of Selma directing. Interment will follow at Pineview Memory Gardens in Valley Grande. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the church, prior to the service.