Michael L. McCoy, 70, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, at home, surrounded by his family and friends following a short battle with cancer.

He resided in Columbia City nearly all his life. He was born Nov. 20, 1948, to Robert and Donna (Burns) McCoy.

He graduated from Columbia City Joint High School in 1967 and attended Ball State for a short period prior to being drafted in 1970. He very proudly served our country in the U.S. Army as a Vietnamese interpreter during the Vietnam War. Upon his return home to Columbia City in 1972, he went to work in numerous positions, nearly all of which provided him with the opportunity to befriend many. He worked as a heavy equipment operator for his family business, R.L. McCoy & Sons. He also served in the Allen County Sheriff’s Reserve Corp. He taught self-defense classes to, as he put it, “anyone who would sit and listen.”

More recently, he served on numerous committees, including the Alcoholic Beverage Commission of Whitley County as well as the River Greenway just to name a few. He loved to go “Jeeping” and, in fact, would volunteer to take kids from Riley Hospital Kid’s Camp on Jeep rides. He did a little bit of everything and was, therefore, able to do or fix just about anything. No task was too tall. His positive attitude toward work and other people was infectious and unparalleled. Clearly, that charm worked on his wife, Sandi. He and Sandi were married in Columbia City on June 11, 2004. He was instrumental in the life and growth of their children, Kelly and Aubrey. He was an amazingly attentive father to them from the moment he stepped into their lives. He was life and light to his family.

He truly had a gift to engage people, make them feel good and to make them smile. This was so very obvious in his most recent job where he maintained all the heavy equipment at Eagle Glen Golf Course. He greeted the golfers going out and then consoled the golfers as they came off and both times he gave them a story and a smile. This amazing man, patriot/veteran, husband, father and friend will be greatly missed but never forgotten.

He is survived by his wife: Sandi McCoy; his children: Kelly Boyd and Aubrey Lee; his siblings: Mark McCoy (Theresa), Marcie (Chuck) Bayman and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Donna McCoy.

A gathering of family and friends will take place at the Eagle’s Nest Event Center, 125 S. Eagle Glen Trail, Columbia City from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. Arrangements are with DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to Humane Society of Whitley County or Parkview Whitley Home Health Care and Hospice.