Joel E. Mccoy

The "Boy from West Virginia" is free at last to roam the hills and mountains he loved so well.

Joel, (Mac) passed away Sunday morning, April 17, 2011, at Valley View Estates Nursing Home in Hamilton, where he had resided the past 16 months and greatly enjoyed the companionship of his friend, "Bob", the parrot.

Born in Hebron, West Virginia on April 12, 1942, Joel was the first-born child and only son of the late Jesse Bernard McCoy and Erma Evelyn Ash McCoy. He attended schools in West Virginia, Florida and Illinois, graduating from Cornell High School, Cornell, Illinois in 1960. After graduation, he worked for Hiram Walker and Sons, Inc. and the Corning Ware Glass Co, before moving with the family to Hamilton, Montana in 1962. He worked as a logger and with the US Forest Service before entering the US Air Force in January, 1963. Joel retired as a Tech Sergeant in June, 1984, having made his career serving as an Armament Systems Technician and Weapons Maintenance Supervisor. His career spanned many years of overseas duty, having served in Vietnam (2 tours), Thailand, Greenland, Germany and the Philippines. Discharged at Hill AFB, Utah, Joel continued to make his home in Utah until May, 2006, when he returned to Hamilton.

Joel was a hard worker from an early age, learning and working alongside his Dad logging, driving horses and running the saw mill. Moving with the family to various parts of the United States, there weren't many jobs that Joel didn't do at some point.

Joel had a great sense of humor, a distinctive laugh, had endless stories to tell, loved to read, enjoyed every aspect of nature and had a true love for all creatures great and small. He continued to pursue his thirst for knowledge throughout his lifetime, completing countless courses ranging from geology, conservation and forestry to small engine repair and electronics. There pretty much wasn't anything he couldn't fix. Joel always found friends wherever he went and was always able to integrate into the locale. A true mechanic, Joel was never happier than when tinkering with an engine, no matter the size. He also never allowed a dull blade of any nature to remain in his presence long, always carrying his whetstone in his pocket.

Much loved, Joel will be greatly missed by his family. Preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Linda Kay McCoy, he is survived by a daughter, Christina Ann McCoy of the Philippines; a sister, Kathy Peterson (Tom) of Hamilton; nephew, John Peterson (Sharon) and great-nephew Jayden Peterson of Helena, MT; niece, Melissa Weidow and great-nephews Dillon and Matthew Weidow of Hamilton; special uncle, Kermit Ash of Antioch, OH, and loving cousins in West Virginia and Ohio.

The family would like to extend their thanks to his special caregivers at Valley View Estates.

The family suggests memorials to the Bitter Root Humane Assoc., 262 Fairgrounds Rd, Hamilton, MT 59840 or the DAV c/o Vern Beaver, 121 Skeels Ave, Hamilton, MT 59840.