Jay Otto McCoy, of Moscow, died Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow, he was 82.
Jay was born March 20, 1942, to Otto and Veneta (Jack) McCoy in Moscow. Jay started first grade at Russell School in Moscow. Early in his childhood, Jay’s parents purchased farmland and buildings west of Viola. This required Jay to move to the farm with his parents and go to school in Palouse. In 1957, Jay’s father purchased McCoy Plumbing on Jackson Street and the family moved into the downstairs apartments of the building. Jay transferred to Moscow High School his sophomore year. While at MHS, Jay was in the high school band. In the trumpet section he met his future wife, Marva Howell. Their acquaintance blossomed over the next three years and they were married in the summer of 1960. After graduating with honors from MHS, Jay joined his dad and older brother working in the plumbing business in addition to helping at the family farm.
Jay’s favorite thing to do, besides working at the family plumbing business, was to be on the farm, driving a tractor, trucks or combine to help plant and harvest wheat and other crops. He would often say “It is so great to be where it is quiet without interruption.” That would explain his frown when he received his first flip phone for Christmas one year.
Jay was state secretary of the Future Farmers of America while in high school. He just completed his 74th harvest this October. He passed this passion along to his sons.
Jay and Marva’s first son, Gregg, was born in 1964, at Gritman Hospital in Moscow. In 1966 they welcomed their second son, Tim, to the world.
Jay and Marva have been connected to Palouse Hills Church for a good amount of years. Since 2000, Jay has taken on the responsibility of being the lay pastor. He enjoyed showing people how to find the Lord and leading them as they learned to live their lives for God by reading and following God’s word, the Bible.
Jay and Marva joined the Gideons in 1971, focusing on leading people to a knowledge of God and surrendering their lives to Him. In the local Gideon camp, Jay and Marva helped distribute Bibles and Testaments to students in schools, universities, hospitals, jails, hotels, motels, police stations and the Latah County Fair each year.
Jay was a wonderful grandpa to his grandchildren. Jay was always willing to let his grandchildren tag along as he worked. Those times also gave him the chance to instill wisdom from God’s Word to them.
In 2016, Jay was told by a Spokane doctor that he had prostate cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Both cancers required treatments and many miles of driving between home and Spokane for over a year. After much prayer and treatment, in 2019 he was declared cancer-free, praise the Lord.
He followed the Lord and helped others find their lives changed by surrender to the God of the universe. He was a man of few words, but he would listen well and then speak when he had something to say. He laughed loudly at jokes and stories that were told.
Jay will be missed by his wife, sons and extended family. We are comforted to know he is with Jesus now and that we will see him again someday. We thank God for sending this fine man to be our loving father, husband, friend, grandpa and counselor.
Jay was preceded in death by his parents Otto and Veneta (Jack) McCoy; in-laws: Marvin and Arlene (Swecker) Howell; brothers: Oba (Carolyn) McCoy, Lee McCoy and sister Verlene Gourley.
Jay is survived by his wife, Marva (Howell) McCoy of Moscow; sons: Gregg (Lori) McCoy and Tim (Kelly) McCoy; grandchildren, Curtis (Echo) Adkins, Matt (Cristy) Deckard, Cole (Tamara) Adkins, Kendra Engehart, Nicki (Chad) Postma, Jaelin McCoy, and J.J. (Karissa) McCoy; brother- and sister-in-laws: Cheryl (Gary) Cass and Melody (Chuck) Sloppy, Kathy McCoy and Gordon Gourley, and Larry (Linda) Howell.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at the Church of the Nazarene, 1400 E. Seventh St., Moscow. A reception will be held at the church following the service. Burial will follow at Viola Cemetery.
Short’s Funeral Chapel of Moscow is in charge of arrangements and condolences may be left at shortsfuneralchapel.com.
