Harold "Jim" A Mc Coy
DECEMBER 15, 1927 – AUGUST 9, 2020
Our Dad, Jim McCoy, was born and raised in Niagara Falls on December 15, 1927 to parents Charles and Julia McCoy (Kufchock) and was one of eight siblings. When he was in 8th grade, his father needed help in building their family home so he temporarily said good bye to school and spent the year helping his father. Upon returning the next fall and not wanting to repeat 8th grade, he asked to take a test to challenge 9th grade and was denied. Determined not to repeat 8 th grade, Dad’s formal schooling was now finished.
When he was 16 years old he met the love of his life, Vincinetta Barone, our dear mother, and they married July 19, 1947 after spending 18 months in the Army in Germany after WWII. They were blessed with five children: Carol Perkowski (Ron), Janelle Kirkendall ( John), Mary Jane Naser (Leo) , Jim McCoy (Ellen) and Donna Fitzgerald (Tad). The Lord’s blessings continued with sixteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. Dad loved every baby born into our family and he would hold them sitting on the kitchen table looking directly at them and talk to them. He loved to make them smile and coo. As time went on and construction waned in Niagara Falls, Dad moved his family to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1962 for the construction boom. He had gone ahead to Las Vegas to prepare a home for his family and three months later Mom boarded a Greyhound bus with five children in tow and began the trek across the country. As they re-united in Las Vegas, Dad took his family to the Shrine at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Boulder Highway to thank God for a safe trip. Dad’s faith was a big part of his life and took us to church every Sunday, no options, no excuses. He had a special devotion to St. Jude and showed us a very worn out and tattered prayer card he carried in his wallet for over 60 years. Mom and Dad were parishioners at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church since 1962.
Jim loved to dance and spin his beloved Vinnie around on the dance floor! He was a master at dancing the jitterbug and would talk about those days with great fondness when he became wheelchair bound. He also enjoyed a good card game of Tonk with his son, Jimmy, and all his sons-in law. Those games got very loud and animated which scared the babies!!
The skills he learned from building their family home when he was young affected Dad the rest of his life. He built houses not as a means to have a job but rather because he loved every aspect of the construction phase. Building was his life. He was happiest when he worked and as children we knew it because he whistled all the time. He would think of new and more efficient ways to do a project faster with more accuracy and thus tapped into the creative world of inventions. His mind was always working and thinking of new ideas. His motive was not “for the money value” but rather how he could do something better. After decades of hard work and persistence Dad invented a super-strong, easy to assemble and dis-assemble saw horse and thus started McCoy Tool company headquartered in his warehouse. Our brother, Jimmy, was a part of this saw horse business. He was very proud of his invention but it was Vinnie who pushed for the patent on the sawhorse and it finally became a reality . This same warehouse became a family gathering place where many memories are tucked into our hearts as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dad would build a 20 foot long table in one afternoon to accommodate his thirty -plus family. He installed a pot-bellied stove to keep us warm and toasty and even blocked off a carpeted section for the babies who were of crawling age. His family was growing and Dad was a very grateful man. Dad was big on the virtue of respect so when us children asked Dad what was his secret for being married to Mom for 69 years he became pensive and then came “the Look”. We knew this look and became very quiet because we knew there would be words of wisdom from Dad. He finally spelled out R-E-S-P-E-C-T. He went on to say, “your mother and I didn't agree on everything but I always respected her opinion”. Dad was 90 years old at the time. This respect carried over to the job site with his crew which included his son, Jimmy, and grandchildren Chris, John, Jason, Shawn and Steven. He would have them look at each other when first arriving on the job site and say, “Good morning” to each other. The thing that got Dad’s Irish was lost tools. He couldn’t understand how they “disappeared”. He was always replacing tools for his crew and let them know he wasn’t happy about it. He was a father-figure for them and taught them to do things the right way and with pride.
Later in years as his body slowed down and he couldn't walk, “The Tally Boys” came into Mom and Dad’s lives and made their last years together enjoyable. They would hold hands and listen to Il Volo singing group and be caught up in a world of beauty and peace. Each voice was distinctly different and together created such a beautiful sound. After visiting with Dad and we were about to leave he would ask for his ear set to listen to Il Volo. It was hard leaving him alone since Mom had passed and he had no one in the room except his memories of Mom and the times they held hands and knew each others thoughts which needed no spoken words.
Dad’s physical body has been taken from us but his legacy is in all our hearts to be passed down to the next generation and the next…. Thanks Dad for being the strong, wonderful, caring father, grandfather, great-grandfather you were and for treating our mother with respect and love. We will miss you. Until we meet again ...
DECEMBER 15, 1927 – AUGUST 9, 2020
Our Dad, Jim McCoy, was born and raised in Niagara Falls on December 15, 1927 to parents Charles and Julia McCoy (Kufchock) and was one of eight siblings. When he was in 8th grade, his father needed help in building their family home so he temporarily said good bye to school and spent the year helping his father. Upon returning the next fall and not wanting to repeat 8th grade, he asked to take a test to challenge 9th grade and was denied. Determined not to repeat 8 th grade, Dad’s formal schooling was now finished.
When he was 16 years old he met the love of his life, Vincinetta Barone, our dear mother, and they married July 19, 1947 after spending 18 months in the Army in Germany after WWII. They were blessed with five children: Carol Perkowski (Ron), Janelle Kirkendall ( John), Mary Jane Naser (Leo) , Jim McCoy (Ellen) and Donna Fitzgerald (Tad). The Lord’s blessings continued with sixteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. Dad loved every baby born into our family and he would hold them sitting on the kitchen table looking directly at them and talk to them. He loved to make them smile and coo. As time went on and construction waned in Niagara Falls, Dad moved his family to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1962 for the construction boom. He had gone ahead to Las Vegas to prepare a home for his family and three months later Mom boarded a Greyhound bus with five children in tow and began the trek across the country. As they re-united in Las Vegas, Dad took his family to the Shrine at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Boulder Highway to thank God for a safe trip. Dad’s faith was a big part of his life and took us to church every Sunday, no options, no excuses. He had a special devotion to St. Jude and showed us a very worn out and tattered prayer card he carried in his wallet for over 60 years. Mom and Dad were parishioners at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church since 1962.
Jim loved to dance and spin his beloved Vinnie around on the dance floor! He was a master at dancing the jitterbug and would talk about those days with great fondness when he became wheelchair bound. He also enjoyed a good card game of Tonk with his son, Jimmy, and all his sons-in law. Those games got very loud and animated which scared the babies!!
The skills he learned from building their family home when he was young affected Dad the rest of his life. He built houses not as a means to have a job but rather because he loved every aspect of the construction phase. Building was his life. He was happiest when he worked and as children we knew it because he whistled all the time. He would think of new and more efficient ways to do a project faster with more accuracy and thus tapped into the creative world of inventions. His mind was always working and thinking of new ideas. His motive was not “for the money value” but rather how he could do something better. After decades of hard work and persistence Dad invented a super-strong, easy to assemble and dis-assemble saw horse and thus started McCoy Tool company headquartered in his warehouse. Our brother, Jimmy, was a part of this saw horse business. He was very proud of his invention but it was Vinnie who pushed for the patent on the sawhorse and it finally became a reality . This same warehouse became a family gathering place where many memories are tucked into our hearts as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dad would build a 20 foot long table in one afternoon to accommodate his thirty -plus family. He installed a pot-bellied stove to keep us warm and toasty and even blocked off a carpeted section for the babies who were of crawling age. His family was growing and Dad was a very grateful man. Dad was big on the virtue of respect so when us children asked Dad what was his secret for being married to Mom for 69 years he became pensive and then came “the Look”. We knew this look and became very quiet because we knew there would be words of wisdom from Dad. He finally spelled out R-E-S-P-E-C-T. He went on to say, “your mother and I didn't agree on everything but I always respected her opinion”. Dad was 90 years old at the time. This respect carried over to the job site with his crew which included his son, Jimmy, and grandchildren Chris, John, Jason, Shawn and Steven. He would have them look at each other when first arriving on the job site and say, “Good morning” to each other. The thing that got Dad’s Irish was lost tools. He couldn’t understand how they “disappeared”. He was always replacing tools for his crew and let them know he wasn’t happy about it. He was a father-figure for them and taught them to do things the right way and with pride.
Later in years as his body slowed down and he couldn't walk, “The Tally Boys” came into Mom and Dad’s lives and made their last years together enjoyable. They would hold hands and listen to Il Volo singing group and be caught up in a world of beauty and peace. Each voice was distinctly different and together created such a beautiful sound. After visiting with Dad and we were about to leave he would ask for his ear set to listen to Il Volo. It was hard leaving him alone since Mom had passed and he had no one in the room except his memories of Mom and the times they held hands and knew each others thoughts which needed no spoken words.
Dad’s physical body has been taken from us but his legacy is in all our hearts to be passed down to the next generation and the next…. Thanks Dad for being the strong, wonderful, caring father, grandfather, great-grandfather you were and for treating our mother with respect and love. We will miss you. Until we meet again ...
Harold "Jim" A Mc Coy
DECEMBER 15, 1927 – AUGUST 9, 2020
Our Dad, Jim McCoy, was born and raised in Niagara Falls on December 15, 1927 to parents Charles and Julia McCoy (Kufchock) and was one of eight siblings. When he was in 8th grade, his father needed help in building their family home so he temporarily said good bye to school and spent the year helping his father. Upon returning the next fall and not wanting to repeat 8th grade, he asked to take a test to challenge 9th grade and was denied. Determined not to repeat 8 th grade, Dad’s formal schooling was now finished.
When he was 16 years old he met the love of his life, Vincinetta Barone, our dear mother, and they married July 19, 1947 after spending 18 months in the Army in Germany after WWII. They were blessed with five children: Carol Perkowski (Ron), Janelle Kirkendall ( John), Mary Jane Naser (Leo) , Jim McCoy (Ellen) and Donna Fitzgerald (Tad). The Lord’s blessings continued with sixteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. Dad loved every baby born into our family and he would hold them sitting on the kitchen table looking directly at them and talk to them. He loved to make them smile and coo. As time went on and construction waned in Niagara Falls, Dad moved his family to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1962 for the construction boom. He had gone ahead to Las Vegas to prepare a home for his family and three months later Mom boarded a Greyhound bus with five children in tow and began the trek across the country. As they re-united in Las Vegas, Dad took his family to the Shrine at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Boulder Highway to thank God for a safe trip. Dad’s faith was a big part of his life and took us to church every Sunday, no options, no excuses. He had a special devotion to St. Jude and showed us a very worn out and tattered prayer card he carried in his wallet for over 60 years. Mom and Dad were parishioners at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church since 1962.
Jim loved to dance and spin his beloved Vinnie around on the dance floor! He was a master at dancing the jitterbug and would talk about those days with great fondness when he became wheelchair bound. He also enjoyed a good card game of Tonk with his son, Jimmy, and all his sons-in law. Those games got very loud and animated which scared the babies!!
The skills he learned from building their family home when he was young affected Dad the rest of his life. He built houses not as a means to have a job but rather because he loved every aspect of the construction phase. Building was his life. He was happiest when he worked and as children we knew it because he whistled all the time. He would think of new and more efficient ways to do a project faster with more accuracy and thus tapped into the creative world of inventions. His mind was always working and thinking of new ideas. His motive was not “for the money value” but rather how he could do something better. After decades of hard work and persistence Dad invented a super-strong, easy to assemble and dis-assemble saw horse and thus started McCoy Tool company headquartered in his warehouse. Our brother, Jimmy, was a part of this saw horse business. He was very proud of his invention but it was Vinnie who pushed for the patent on the sawhorse and it finally became a reality . This same warehouse became a family gathering place where many memories are tucked into our hearts as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dad would build a 20 foot long table in one afternoon to accommodate his thirty -plus family. He installed a pot-bellied stove to keep us warm and toasty and even blocked off a carpeted section for the babies who were of crawling age. His family was growing and Dad was a very grateful man. Dad was big on the virtue of respect so when us children asked Dad what was his secret for being married to Mom for 69 years he became pensive and then came “the Look”. We knew this look and became very quiet because we knew there would be words of wisdom from Dad. He finally spelled out R-E-S-P-E-C-T. He went on to say, “your mother and I didn't agree on everything but I always respected her opinion”. Dad was 90 years old at the time. This respect carried over to the job site with his crew which included his son, Jimmy, and grandchildren Chris, John, Jason, Shawn and Steven. He would have them look at each other when first arriving on the job site and say, “Good morning” to each other. The thing that got Dad’s Irish was lost tools. He couldn’t understand how they “disappeared”. He was always replacing tools for his crew and let them know he wasn’t happy about it. He was a father-figure for them and taught them to do things the right way and with pride.
Later in years as his body slowed down and he couldn't walk, “The Tally Boys” came into Mom and Dad’s lives and made their last years together enjoyable. They would hold hands and listen to Il Volo singing group and be caught up in a world of beauty and peace. Each voice was distinctly different and together created such a beautiful sound. After visiting with Dad and we were about to leave he would ask for his ear set to listen to Il Volo. It was hard leaving him alone since Mom had passed and he had no one in the room except his memories of Mom and the times they held hands and knew each others thoughts which needed no spoken words.
Dad’s physical body has been taken from us but his legacy is in all our hearts to be passed down to the next generation and the next…. Thanks Dad for being the strong, wonderful, caring father, grandfather, great-grandfather you were and for treating our mother with respect and love. We will miss you. Until we meet again ...
DECEMBER 15, 1927 – AUGUST 9, 2020
Our Dad, Jim McCoy, was born and raised in Niagara Falls on December 15, 1927 to parents Charles and Julia McCoy (Kufchock) and was one of eight siblings. When he was in 8th grade, his father needed help in building their family home so he temporarily said good bye to school and spent the year helping his father. Upon returning the next fall and not wanting to repeat 8th grade, he asked to take a test to challenge 9th grade and was denied. Determined not to repeat 8 th grade, Dad’s formal schooling was now finished.
When he was 16 years old he met the love of his life, Vincinetta Barone, our dear mother, and they married July 19, 1947 after spending 18 months in the Army in Germany after WWII. They were blessed with five children: Carol Perkowski (Ron), Janelle Kirkendall ( John), Mary Jane Naser (Leo) , Jim McCoy (Ellen) and Donna Fitzgerald (Tad). The Lord’s blessings continued with sixteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. Dad loved every baby born into our family and he would hold them sitting on the kitchen table looking directly at them and talk to them. He loved to make them smile and coo. As time went on and construction waned in Niagara Falls, Dad moved his family to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1962 for the construction boom. He had gone ahead to Las Vegas to prepare a home for his family and three months later Mom boarded a Greyhound bus with five children in tow and began the trek across the country. As they re-united in Las Vegas, Dad took his family to the Shrine at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Boulder Highway to thank God for a safe trip. Dad’s faith was a big part of his life and took us to church every Sunday, no options, no excuses. He had a special devotion to St. Jude and showed us a very worn out and tattered prayer card he carried in his wallet for over 60 years. Mom and Dad were parishioners at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church since 1962.
Jim loved to dance and spin his beloved Vinnie around on the dance floor! He was a master at dancing the jitterbug and would talk about those days with great fondness when he became wheelchair bound. He also enjoyed a good card game of Tonk with his son, Jimmy, and all his sons-in law. Those games got very loud and animated which scared the babies!!
The skills he learned from building their family home when he was young affected Dad the rest of his life. He built houses not as a means to have a job but rather because he loved every aspect of the construction phase. Building was his life. He was happiest when he worked and as children we knew it because he whistled all the time. He would think of new and more efficient ways to do a project faster with more accuracy and thus tapped into the creative world of inventions. His mind was always working and thinking of new ideas. His motive was not “for the money value” but rather how he could do something better. After decades of hard work and persistence Dad invented a super-strong, easy to assemble and dis-assemble saw horse and thus started McCoy Tool company headquartered in his warehouse. Our brother, Jimmy, was a part of this saw horse business. He was very proud of his invention but it was Vinnie who pushed for the patent on the sawhorse and it finally became a reality . This same warehouse became a family gathering place where many memories are tucked into our hearts as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dad would build a 20 foot long table in one afternoon to accommodate his thirty -plus family. He installed a pot-bellied stove to keep us warm and toasty and even blocked off a carpeted section for the babies who were of crawling age. His family was growing and Dad was a very grateful man. Dad was big on the virtue of respect so when us children asked Dad what was his secret for being married to Mom for 69 years he became pensive and then came “the Look”. We knew this look and became very quiet because we knew there would be words of wisdom from Dad. He finally spelled out R-E-S-P-E-C-T. He went on to say, “your mother and I didn't agree on everything but I always respected her opinion”. Dad was 90 years old at the time. This respect carried over to the job site with his crew which included his son, Jimmy, and grandchildren Chris, John, Jason, Shawn and Steven. He would have them look at each other when first arriving on the job site and say, “Good morning” to each other. The thing that got Dad’s Irish was lost tools. He couldn’t understand how they “disappeared”. He was always replacing tools for his crew and let them know he wasn’t happy about it. He was a father-figure for them and taught them to do things the right way and with pride.
Later in years as his body slowed down and he couldn't walk, “The Tally Boys” came into Mom and Dad’s lives and made their last years together enjoyable. They would hold hands and listen to Il Volo singing group and be caught up in a world of beauty and peace. Each voice was distinctly different and together created such a beautiful sound. After visiting with Dad and we were about to leave he would ask for his ear set to listen to Il Volo. It was hard leaving him alone since Mom had passed and he had no one in the room except his memories of Mom and the times they held hands and knew each others thoughts which needed no spoken words.
Dad’s physical body has been taken from us but his legacy is in all our hearts to be passed down to the next generation and the next…. Thanks Dad for being the strong, wonderful, caring father, grandfather, great-grandfather you were and for treating our mother with respect and love. We will miss you. Until we meet again ...
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