Obituary of John W. McCoy

Husband Father Musician Soldier Born in NYC in 1926, the son and grandson of NYC Police Detectives, Jack McCoy joined the Army at 17 and, just after turning 18, reported for duty in September, 1944. He proudly served in Europe during WWII, as a member of the Tough Ombres. Shipped over on the George Washington, a luxury liner that was confiscated from the Germans in WWI. Discharged on July 4, 1946, he joined the active reserve. He was with the Core Military Police in LI City, and a few years later, ran into his friend, Bill Cave, who asked him to come over to 101st Signal Bttn, CP.. He had eight years in the military police before joining the 101st. He then transferred to Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx, 42nd Infantry Rainbow Division, because they wouldn't take Jack's brother, Tom, into the 101st if dad was in it. Jack then found out that the 101st had just received orders to report to the Berlin Crisis, and he just missed it because his orders had already gone through federal headquarters to Kingsbridge. So both of them went into Kingsbridge. He stayed there until retirement after 42 years. Jack loved and lived the military until his last day. He could always be heard with a resounding "affirmative" or "negative" to questions. Jack learned the viola in high school, PS 118 in the Bronx (Taft High School) before the army; he learned to play the stand up bass on his own in 1945 in Germany. He played for about six months in Germany. Organized the band, and performed in the grand ballroom of the Eschenbach Porcelein Fabrichet (porcelain factory) Grand ballroom on the second floor in the front of the factory; windows on three sides. They would find sheet music, and Jack would write the arrangements for all the other instruments in the band. After he got out of the army, he performed viola in the orchestras at the Bronx Wintergarden Theater, Riverside Church, Horace Mann College, Manhattan School of Music and Columbia University. Larry Savercool was his partner in crime, a violinist, on the first and second stand in many of the same places. Before and after the war, Jack worked at Radio City Music Hall. He started in August '42, as a part-time usher at $18/week. Moved up to doorman after six months, because he was tall, and he took tickets at the door. He became friendly with several Rockettes and the glee club, and word got to Mr. Cruz (head manager of Radio City), and Jack was asked to work backstage on the elevators, until July '44. He left because his folks moved to Poughkeepsie. After the war, he came back to Radio City and got his job back. He met Charlotte Carmon, viola virtuoso; she played first stand in the viola section of Vienna Philharmonic, and she told him to get a book "Etudes". He studied with her while still performing with the orchestras with Larry. During this time, he was also a stage door doorman, with a raise up to $48/week. In '49 went to work for the telephone company. He had gone back to high school to get his diploma during that time. Jack worked for NY Telephone Company from 1949 to 1988, holding various positions such as splicer, lineman, frameman, installer and retiring as their Locksmith. He learned locks and bicycle repairs from his friend and mentor, Gary Garofalo, owner of Gary's Bicycle Shop in Mt. Vernon. Gary sponsored his becoming a bonded locksmith. Jack met his wife, Ruth, in 1947 by seeing her from his kitchen window on 149th street that faced her building on 150th St.. They married in November 1950, at Immaculate Conception Church in the Bronx, and had three children, Ruth, Cathy, Jerry. In 1989, he and his wife, and son, Jerry, volunteered for White Plains Hospital. Ruth and Jerry worked with the Knitwits, and Jack repaired wheelchairs while mentoring his new friend, Victor Purdy; Jack taught him master keying. Jack loved talking about musical arrangements with his son-in-law, Eddie Denise, and although Eddie is an accomplished electric bass player, Jack gave him the foundation on the proper methods to play stand-up bass. In 2003, Jack and Ruth moved to Greentown, Pennsylvania, to be near their daughter, Ruth and her daughters. His wife passed away in October, 2012. They were married 61 years. In 2013, Jack reconnected with his former Army unit, the 42nd Infantry Rainbow Division, and enjoyed quarterly lunches with some old friends who had climbed the ranks after he had retired. It wasn't unusual for Jack to be slapping the backs of generals, calling them by first names, with affectionate comraderie and history between them. He treasured those lunches and the connections of his friends. He was a communicant of St. Veronica's Church in Greentown, PA. In 2014, Jack participated in the Hudson Valley Honor Flight, taking him and other WWII veterans to Washington DC. It was the most exhilarating day he had had in many years. Jack is predeceased by his wife Ruth Alberta, their daughter Ruth Naomi, and their son, John Gerard (aka Jerry). Surviving are their daughter, Cathy and her husband Eddie, grandchildren (Alexandra, Samantha, Jayson and Stephen), and 12 great-grandchildren (Autumn, Jewelie, Halle, Dean, Kayla, Naomi, Mackenzie, Gianna, Andrew, Lily, Emily, and Viola). He was passionate about everything he did, and an inspiration of fortitude despite the impediments that crossed his path. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Jack's name to: Hudson Valley Honor Flights, PO Box 375, Walden, NY 12586 Calling hours will be Monday, April 6th from 3 to 8 PM at Teeters' East Chapel, 505 Church St, Hawley, PA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, April 7th at 10:00 at BVM Queen Of Peace Roman Catholic Church, 314 Chestnut Ave, Hawley by Rev. Richard W. Beck, Pastor. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, NY