Examiner-Enterprise - Feb 28, 2020 - Barbara Miller McCoy passed away on January 14, 2020 at the age of 92 after a full, rich life. She was a vibrant community leader and political activist for women's and girls' equality, a mother who inspired her three daughters to enter male-dominated careers, a long-time partner to her husband Ray, and a volunteer extraordinaire. She inspired people wherever she went with her good humor and positive attitude. She never complained and was gracious to everyone. Barbara recognized the importance of a quality education for all children and organized a statewide Mothers' March around the State Capitol to successfully press the Legislature to pass Equalization of Funding for all Students of Oklahoma. She then ran for School Board in Bartlesville, OK, becoming the first woman on the School Board and eventually serving as President. During her six terms from 1976-90, other women ran and for a time, women members were in the majority. Born and raised in Gresham, Oregon, Barbara helped take care of her two younger brothers, worked on her father's farm, and won a scholarship to Cottey College in Missouri and then earned her Bachelor's in Music Education at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. She met her husband Ray there and supported him as a music teacher while he finished his PhD in chemistry. She typed his dissertation in triplicate on a manual typewriter with carbon paper. They moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1955 where Ray worked for Phillips Petroleum Co. and Barbara raised their daughters. She became heavily involved in her daughter's lives, leading Girl Scout troops for 25 years, taking the Scouts on trips across the country, and serving as Girl Scout Resident Camp Director. She continued her love of music, singing in the church choir and later playing in a recorder choir. She organized children's choirs in her home, copying song lyrics on a lithograph and playing the harpsichord to accompany the children. She was a piano teacher, and two of her students went on to become music majors. Barbara became active politically after moving to Oklahoma. She chaired the League of Women Voters Committee which formed the Child Guidance Association of Washington Co, OK. In 1959, she organized a statewide petition campaign to promote One-Man-One-Vote in Oklahoma. When it became clear they would succeed in gathering the needed signatures, the Legislature passed the law. She first joined the Republican Party to support making Oklahoma a two-party state, being dominated by the Democratic Party in the 1960s. But after the Nixon years, she grew disillusioned and became active in the Democratic Party. She took children into her home, serving as an AFS parent to a Colombian international exchange student one year and as foster parent to three high school girls. When she and Ray retired to Bella Vista, AR, she became a leader of the Bentonville County Democratic Party, and President of the United Fund of Bella Vista. In 2014, Barbara and Ray moved to Kingsland, TX to be near daughter Nancy. She enjoyed gardening and playing the piano for sing-alongs with the residents at Windchime Assisted Living. For her tireless efforts and boundless energy on behalf of children' rights, women's equality and voting rights, Barbara won several awards. The Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce awarded her the Outstanding Citizen Award "for many and longtime contributions that greatly improve the quality of life for people in the Bartlesville Area." She won the Oklahoma State School Board Association Distinguished Service Award, and in 1990 the League of Women Voters created the Barbara McCoy Service to Children Award which honors someone each year. After retiring to Bella Vista, Arkansas, she was awarded the Benton County, Arkansas United Way Appreciation for Board Member Service and named the Democratic Women's Club Woman of the Year. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband Ray McCoy in 2016. She is survived by three daughters, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and brothers Robert Miller and Richard Miller.