James Coy's Obituary
James William Coy
-Å"Jimmy- departed this life ten days short of his eighty-second birthday, after an extended battle with cancer. Born in East Orange, New Jersey to James Mormon Coy and Lucille Sears Coy, he was the last surviving member of a family of nine children, brothers: Douglas, Herbert, Gilbert and Alexander; and sisters: Thelma, Doris, Hattie and Carol.
The family moved to Vauxhall, New Jersey in Union County, when Jimmy was a small boy. There he attended the Union County Public Schools. He accepted Christ at a young age and was baptized at First Baptist Church in Vauxhall, where his mother was a missionary and his father was on the deacon board. At seventeen, Jimmy joined the army, where he served for 20 years in both times of peace and times of war including tours of duty in Germany, Korea, Vietnam and later at Fort Lewis, WA. After his military retirement he returned to Washington, where he spent the remaining years of his life.
In 1953, Jimmy married his wife of 51 years, the late Thelma Marie Artis Coy. To this union were born three children: Crystal Coy-Gonfa of Boston, MA, Victor James Coy of Tacoma, WA and Shawn Coy Hanmer of Lakewood, WA. He was also step-father to Roger Askins of Georgia, Donna Applegate of Connecticut, Brenda Tucker of Tennessee, Daveé Wilson of Kentucky and Candis Souder of VA.
Jimmy was an excellent cook; he made the crispiest fried chicken and the best apple pie with the flakiest of crusts made from scratch. On Sunday afternoons you would likely find him in the kitchen, singing old songs by Arthur Prysock and Harry Belafonte, while preparing the meal. Between choruses, his children learned to cook as he painstakingly and repeatedly instructed them on the proper way to peel potatoes and how to make gravy without lumps.
As long as Jimmy was healthy, he worked two jobs. He was a responsible man who provided for his family. But when he was 58 years old, he was diagnosed with cancer and given just two years to live. Despite the prognosis, Jimmy determined that he -Å"would not sit in a rocking chair and wait to die.- He could no longer handle the double shifts but he continued to work a job, later retiring first from Brown and Haley Candy Company and later Boeing Air Craft. Still refusing to sit in that rocking chair, he went on after his third retirement to bag groceries at the commissary. Jimmy lived twenty-two years beyond his death sentence, astounding those who did not know what God can do.
In 2007, Jimmy married Beverly Hagwood Coy whom he met at Bethlehem Baptist church, where he sang on the choir. Beverly cared for him through the failing health of his last years. Her children Joseph Hagwood, and Sheri Boney and her grandchildren became part of his extended family.
By the grace of God, Jimmy truly lived until he died. He is survived by his wife, his children, step-children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
Arrangements by Mountain View Funeral Home.
What’s your fondest memory of James?
What’s a lesson you learned from James?
Share a story where James' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with James you’ll never forget.
How did James make you smile?