Marie Higgins Jeffcoat, 83 formerly of Cordova died June 2nd, 2009. She was the former owner of Jeffcoat Motors, Inc. and Jeffcoat Stables. She is preceded in death by her husband, John Houston Jeffcoat, her parents Fred & Lillian Higgins, and sister Ruby Higgins Vandiver. She is survived by daughter, Karen Jeffcoat Stewart and her husband, Larry, grandson, John Adam Hensley and his wife, Kasi, granddaughter, Jennifer Vining McLaughlin and her husband, Sam, two great grandchildren, Gracelynn Marie Hensley and Samuel Rowland McLaughlin, III, a neice, Sharon Vandiver Brown, and a nephew, John Russell Edwards.
She and her husband, John, owned and operated Jeffcoat Motors in Memphis for over 50 years. At the time it closed, it was the oldest Used car dealership in Memphis.
Marie was a former president of the Cotton Carnival/Cotton Classic Horse Show and a member of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders Assoc. She had a deep love for her animals and moved from Memphis in 1958 to a 200 acre farm in Cordova and began raising cattle and horses. What began as a garage for the family business turned into a barn when her husband learned zoning would not permit a garage. Jeffcoat Stables was born. She made many trips to Middle Tennessee meeting S. W. Beech , Bobby Richards, and many others, building her string of Tennessee Walking Horses. Through the years she has shown many greats such as Go Boy's Rendezvous, Midnight Mona Lisa, Sun's Stradivarius, Ebony's Royal Romper, Powered By Generator, Generators' China Doll, Ebony's Smash Hit, Handshaker's Spirit, Copy's Evil Spirit, The Perfect Mark, Pushover's Citation, Sweetpea, R & R's Charming Lady, Mack K's Handshaker, The Lite Fantastic Hansdhaker's Spirit & her favorite horse, Delight's Checkmate. As a result of her knowledge and passion for this breed, her beloved Jeffcoat Stables owned many World and World Grand Champions including Little Big Man, Delight's Sundance, Master Plan, Son Of A Star, Final's Sweetross, Dang My Time, Hallelujah's Sho Nuff, The Beau Regard and Gen's Sundance Lady. Her love extended past the animal to the people who helped make this possible, giving many a young trainer opportunities to train excellent horses. Some of these young men were Neil Robinson, Charlie Weddington and Allan Callaway, who said, "I would not be where I am today if it were not for this sweet lady".
She was a member of Cordova Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School and Training Union for many years, and had attended Midland Heights Baptist Church in Shelbyville, TN, where she had resided for the last several years.
She will be remembered for her love of her family and friends, her love of owning and showing horses, as well as her giving spirit. It was not uncommon for the holidays to find servicemen in her home being welcomed like family. Most of all she will be remembered for her love of her Lord. She will be missed by her many cousins, nephews & nieces from across the country.
Visitation will be held at Cordova Baptist Church, 1126 C Street, Cordova, TN, Thursday, June 4, 2009, from 10-11am, with a memorial service immediatly following at 11:30am. Memorials may also be sent to Cordova Baptist Church, General Fund, Cordova, TN or to Midland Heights Baptist Church, Shelbyville, TN.