Keith McCoy was born on July 13, 1915, in Redlands, Calif., to Laurie Hinshaw McCoy of Goldendale and Earl McCoy of White Salmon. An uncommon divorce led to his adoption by Roy and Mary Hinshaw Cain, so from the beginning, his life was rich with many interests, influenced by his three loving sets of parents, the Cains, Laurie and Evan Hodson, and Earl and Sadie McCoy.
His childhood in White Salmon, graduation from Columbia Union High School in 1933, four years at the University of Washington -- interspersed with Forest Service employment and sulfur mining atop Mount Adams -- established his deep love of this area.
In 1941, he married Vivian Legler of Portland. World War II soon called and occupied his life as a Naval Photographic Officer in the South Pacific.
In 1974, Keith married Claudia Collingwood Ashby, originally of Trout Lake. They were together for 15 years before her passing.
He was pleased to work on the Klickitat County Board of Equalization, and helped create the Gorge Heritage Museum. He began to capture on paper the tales and history of his homeland and its beloved people. Establishing Pahto Publications in 1987, he wrote The Mt. Adams Country: Forgotten Corner of the Columbia River Gorge, followed by CODY -- Colorful Man of Color in 1988.
In 1991, Keith married Lucille Nordwall Killion, then of Wilsonville, Ore. They were delighted to be chosen MayFest King and Queen in 1992. He continued to write, publishing Melodic Whistles in the Columbia River Gorge in 1995, Rowdy River in 2002, and in 2003, Mid-Columbia North Shore, a compilation of the 160 or so "odds 'n ends" articles he had written for The Enterprise.
Somehow, he and Lucy found time for much travel amidst the endless inquiries he received for information, having become known as "the local historian." Seven times they plied the Columbia from mouth to headwaters, Keith hired by Special Expeditions as the on-board historian; and countless times Lucy helped him don buckskins to portray Capt. William Clark in a living history presentation in which he looked back at the Lewis and Clark Expedition from a vantage point of 30 years later.
Keith is survived by his wife Lucy, Hood River; daughter Jan Jones, White Salmon; son Doug McCoy, Trout Lake; sister Kathi Cain Levin, San Jose, Calif.; stepchildren and grandchildren in the families of Claudia and Lucy; numerous Hinshaw cousins, and countless readers who can share his love of the Mount Adams country through his books.
Longtime friend Jim Tindall will officiat at Keith's memorial service on Dec. 4, 2005, at Henkle Middle School in White Salmon, with a reception to follow.
His childhood in White Salmon, graduation from Columbia Union High School in 1933, four years at the University of Washington -- interspersed with Forest Service employment and sulfur mining atop Mount Adams -- established his deep love of this area.
In 1941, he married Vivian Legler of Portland. World War II soon called and occupied his life as a Naval Photographic Officer in the South Pacific.
In 1974, Keith married Claudia Collingwood Ashby, originally of Trout Lake. They were together for 15 years before her passing.
He was pleased to work on the Klickitat County Board of Equalization, and helped create the Gorge Heritage Museum. He began to capture on paper the tales and history of his homeland and its beloved people. Establishing Pahto Publications in 1987, he wrote The Mt. Adams Country: Forgotten Corner of the Columbia River Gorge, followed by CODY -- Colorful Man of Color in 1988.
In 1991, Keith married Lucille Nordwall Killion, then of Wilsonville, Ore. They were delighted to be chosen MayFest King and Queen in 1992. He continued to write, publishing Melodic Whistles in the Columbia River Gorge in 1995, Rowdy River in 2002, and in 2003, Mid-Columbia North Shore, a compilation of the 160 or so "odds 'n ends" articles he had written for The Enterprise.
Somehow, he and Lucy found time for much travel amidst the endless inquiries he received for information, having become known as "the local historian." Seven times they plied the Columbia from mouth to headwaters, Keith hired by Special Expeditions as the on-board historian; and countless times Lucy helped him don buckskins to portray Capt. William Clark in a living history presentation in which he looked back at the Lewis and Clark Expedition from a vantage point of 30 years later.
Keith is survived by his wife Lucy, Hood River; daughter Jan Jones, White Salmon; son Doug McCoy, Trout Lake; sister Kathi Cain Levin, San Jose, Calif.; stepchildren and grandchildren in the families of Claudia and Lucy; numerous Hinshaw cousins, and countless readers who can share his love of the Mount Adams country through his books.
Longtime friend Jim Tindall will officiat at Keith's memorial service on Dec. 4, 2005, at Henkle Middle School in White Salmon, with a reception to follow.
Keith McCoy was born on July 13, 1915, in Redlands, Calif., to Laurie Hinshaw McCoy of Goldendale and Earl McCoy of White Salmon. An uncommon divorce led to his adoption by Roy and Mary Hinshaw Cain, so from the beginning, his life was rich with many interests, influenced by his three loving sets of parents, the Cains, Laurie and Evan Hodson, and Earl and Sadie McCoy.
His childhood in White Salmon, graduation from Columbia Union High School in 1933, four years at the University of Washington -- interspersed with Forest Service employment and sulfur mining atop Mount Adams -- established his deep love of this area.
In 1941, he married Vivian Legler of Portland. World War II soon called and occupied his life as a Naval Photographic Officer in the South Pacific.
In 1974, Keith married Claudia Collingwood Ashby, originally of Trout Lake. They were together for 15 years before her passing.
He was pleased to work on the Klickitat County Board of Equalization, and helped create the Gorge Heritage Museum. He began to capture on paper the tales and history of his homeland and its beloved people. Establishing Pahto Publications in 1987, he wrote The Mt. Adams Country: Forgotten Corner of the Columbia River Gorge, followed by CODY -- Colorful Man of Color in 1988.
In 1991, Keith married Lucille Nordwall Killion, then of Wilsonville, Ore. They were delighted to be chosen MayFest King and Queen in 1992. He continued to write, publishing Melodic Whistles in the Columbia River Gorge in 1995, Rowdy River in 2002, and in 2003, Mid-Columbia North Shore, a compilation of the 160 or so "odds 'n ends" articles he had written for The Enterprise.
Somehow, he and Lucy found time for much travel amidst the endless inquiries he received for information, having become known as "the local historian." Seven times they plied the Columbia from mouth to headwaters, Keith hired by Special Expeditions as the on-board historian; and countless times Lucy helped him don buckskins to portray Capt. William Clark in a living history presentation in which he looked back at the Lewis and Clark Expedition from a vantage point of 30 years later.
Keith is survived by his wife Lucy, Hood River; daughter Jan Jones, White Salmon; son Doug McCoy, Trout Lake; sister Kathi Cain Levin, San Jose, Calif.; stepchildren and grandchildren in the families of Claudia and Lucy; numerous Hinshaw cousins, and countless readers who can share his love of the Mount Adams country through his books.
Longtime friend Jim Tindall will officiat at Keith's memorial service on Dec. 4, 2005, at Henkle Middle School in White Salmon, with a reception to follow.
His childhood in White Salmon, graduation from Columbia Union High School in 1933, four years at the University of Washington -- interspersed with Forest Service employment and sulfur mining atop Mount Adams -- established his deep love of this area.
In 1941, he married Vivian Legler of Portland. World War II soon called and occupied his life as a Naval Photographic Officer in the South Pacific.
In 1974, Keith married Claudia Collingwood Ashby, originally of Trout Lake. They were together for 15 years before her passing.
He was pleased to work on the Klickitat County Board of Equalization, and helped create the Gorge Heritage Museum. He began to capture on paper the tales and history of his homeland and its beloved people. Establishing Pahto Publications in 1987, he wrote The Mt. Adams Country: Forgotten Corner of the Columbia River Gorge, followed by CODY -- Colorful Man of Color in 1988.
In 1991, Keith married Lucille Nordwall Killion, then of Wilsonville, Ore. They were delighted to be chosen MayFest King and Queen in 1992. He continued to write, publishing Melodic Whistles in the Columbia River Gorge in 1995, Rowdy River in 2002, and in 2003, Mid-Columbia North Shore, a compilation of the 160 or so "odds 'n ends" articles he had written for The Enterprise.
Somehow, he and Lucy found time for much travel amidst the endless inquiries he received for information, having become known as "the local historian." Seven times they plied the Columbia from mouth to headwaters, Keith hired by Special Expeditions as the on-board historian; and countless times Lucy helped him don buckskins to portray Capt. William Clark in a living history presentation in which he looked back at the Lewis and Clark Expedition from a vantage point of 30 years later.
Keith is survived by his wife Lucy, Hood River; daughter Jan Jones, White Salmon; son Doug McCoy, Trout Lake; sister Kathi Cain Levin, San Jose, Calif.; stepchildren and grandchildren in the families of Claudia and Lucy; numerous Hinshaw cousins, and countless readers who can share his love of the Mount Adams country through his books.
Longtime friend Jim Tindall will officiat at Keith's memorial service on Dec. 4, 2005, at Henkle Middle School in White Salmon, with a reception to follow.
Gravesite Details
Buried next to William H. McCoy (1855-1902) and 4 away on the other side is Earl James McCoy (1891-1962).
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