April 14

This is Larry (with Laura, obviously). Larry was born in Worthington and lived in the house pictured below. That house was about 4 blocks from where my mom grew up. Near as we can figure there was at least a few years overlap between the two families before Mom’s moved to Minneapolis, but they didn’t know each other then. When the McCoys moved to Alex some 30+ years later, they bought the Obert house (that we built in ’49-50-ish) in 1967 in Victoria Heights and have lived there ever since. The house has had the same phone number for 68 years. And then to cap it off, Larry and I have the same birthday! (September 13, 2017)

Lawrence “Larry” McCoy

Lawrence “Larry” Joseph McCoy was born on September 4, 1934 in Worthington, MN to parents Lawrence and Mildred McCoy. He was the first-born child of a family of 10 children. He graduated high school in Worthington in 1952 and went on to Worthington Community College and Mankato State where he completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education.

Larry met the love of his life, Laura Thiner (Brewster, MN), while attending community college. They were united in marriage on August 16, 1958 and started their family in Canby, MN with the births of their first four children. Life was interrupted when Larry went into the Army, leaving Laura to manage things at home for a year. In 1967 they moved to Alexandria where Jeff was born. Larry and Laura raised their family in Alexandria’s Victoria Heights and lived happily in lake country for over 50 years.

Larry’s teaching career began in Canby’s middle school and eventually the Canby Technical School. Larry got the opportunity to move to lake country and teach computer programming at the Alexandria technical school. Larry was self-taught in computer science.

Larry loved sports of all types – including hockey, baseball, basketball, football, fishing, hunting and golf. He was a fine golfer who shot his age at 76. He passed his love of sports on to his children and grandchildren. He and Laura cheered on Cardinal sports teams for decades.

On April 3, 2021, Larry passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was preceded in death by Laura, his wife of 61 years, his mother and father, and his brothers Patrick and Joseph.

He is survived by siblings: Gerald, Mary, Clem, Kathleen, Mike, Therese, and Margaret; his children: Greg McCoy of Charleston SC, Steve (Lynne) McCoy of Eden Prairie, Nancy (Mike) Barthold of Brooklyn Center, Tom (Lori) of Eagan, and Jeff (Erin) McCoy of Alexandria and ten grandchildren: Megan, Ryan, Jack, Sam, Rebecca, Kaitlin, Sean, Shannon, Isaac and Brady.

A Private Family Service will be held on Friday, April 9, 2021 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alexandria due to ongoing COVID-19 recommendations. This service will be live-streamed and recorded for family and friends to view from Larry’s obituary page on the Anderson Funeral Home website at 11 AM on Friday. Entombment will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Alexandria Cardinal Athletic Foundation in honor of Larry and Laura McCoy. Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home. www.andersonfuneral.net (Echo Press obituary)

[Our shared house in Victoria Heights . . . ]

Where it all began . . .

[Mom’s Worthington house . . . ]

[Larry’s Worthington house . . . ]

This is the first blog post in two months. For over a decade I probably averaged 2 – 3 posts a week. Everything has been shut down for a year. I can’t remember the last time I saw Larry. I first met him, I’m sure, at the Alexandria Golf Course, when we retired back to Alex in 2001. I was delighted to discover our mutual connections, and that he was a teacher, a good athlete, and Cardinal fan. The rest of this post will feature photos of and narratives about Larry previously featured in this blog. The opening photo of Larry and Laura was taken on August 31, 2010, at the golf club during the annual steak fry and putting contest for the Senior Men’s Golf League.

[Larry at the steak fry and putting contest on September 11, 2006. In the group photo, he is in the back, 3rd from the left.]

[We were likely the last golfers on the course for the year on November 2, 2010. Larry is in the middle.]

Fergus Falls – 40, Alexandria – 36. You know it was a big game. Ruthie was there for the first time. Gary Otto was there for the first time. And Laura and Larry McCoy were there for the first time – well, at least since the 80’s when they watched three all-conference progeny perform on a regular basis. And, of course, Luella and Otto were there. We were all there to watch our undefeated girls’ basketball Cards play once beaten Fergus Falls to keep pace with undefeated Sartell in the conference. I think it was the biggest crowd of the season, boy or girl. (January 15, 2011)

Well, we’ll get to the subject line later.* Legendary sportswriter Red Smith once said, “There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” Hey, sometimes it happens. It’s the evening after three games, and I ain’t got nuthin’ yet. The boys’ basketball and hockey teams were home last night. Despite weather forecasts of near fatal wind chill conditions, the show(’s coverage) must go on. The hockey game seemed to offer a more competitive game – Sartell is playing for a #1 tournament seed but the Cardinals figured to be competitive at home (Sartell did win, 3-0, on three power plays). The roundballers were playing last place Sauk Rapids – we like to cover wins! And besides, Dr. Larry McCoy called earlier and said he and Dr. Laura McCoy were interested in going to the basketball game, so I joined them at the gym (I call them “Dr.” because they are educators*). (February 2, 2011)

[And here we are again, on the tee, June 8, 2011. Larry is 4th from the left.]

[And then another annual steak fry and putting contest, June 29, 2011. Larry is on the far right.]

Last night, Richie Braun hosted the 2nd Annual “Those Who Stay Behind” Dinner at Arrowwood. We had 21 leftovers from the senior golf leagues – our snowbird brethren long since departed to strange and exotic places like Florida . . . and Arizona, places where passports are required to enter and leave, where the sun makes dermatology the career of choice, and where snow shoveling is banned as a matter of course! The attendees were Vivian and Bob Annen, Marlene and Richie Braun, Sue and Jay Diebold, Merry and Paul Donley, Bill “Walleye Willie” Feriancek, Diann and Al Guenther, Joanne and Corky Krogstad, Laura and Larry McCoy, Ruth and Tom Obert, Barb and Roger Riley, and Joyce and Dave Rogosheske. “Walleye Willie” within the week joined Richie as a first time octogenarian. After a couple of hours worth of North Dakota martinis, stir fry and pasta buffet, and dessert goodies, everyone waddled happily home while dreams of birdies and eagles danced in their heads. (December 9, 2011)

[Said dinner, Larry on the right.]

Our niece, Jessica, brother Chris and Janet’s oldest daughter, recently moved to Eden Prairie from the State of Virginia, where she was born and raised. Jessica got married this summer. Her husband, Colin, got a job with Channel 9 in Eden Prairie. She is very much a hot weather person like her father. She hates the cold and snow of Eden Prairie. She wants to move to Miami.

Alexandria’s Jefferson High School (JHS) is 50 years old, and we dearly want to replace it. Jessica’s uncle, me, loves winter and thinks it’s the prettiest time of year. A new winter snowfall even makes JHS look good. We go to JHS in the winter to see concerts as part of the Central Lakes Concert Association (CLCA) series. We sit with Larry and Laura McCoy at the concerts. The McCoys bought the Obert house in Victoria Heights from Oberts in the 1960’s. They still live there. Today we told the McCoys the Jessica story. Larry said his brother was Eden Prairie’s school superintendent, until he retired 5 years ago. In that position, he hired Bud Grant’s son, Mike, to be the Eden Prairie football coach. Eden Prairie just finished an undefeated season and won the state class 5A football title. Larry’s brother also taught Paul Donley, Executive Director, Alexandria Area Education Foundation, how to ski. Mike Grant’s sister (Bud’s daughter) once taught in the Alexandria school system.

Larry McCoy also mentioned that he recently went to Charles Krump’s funeral. Charles taught in the Alexandria school system for 41 years. His obituary mentioned that his brother and sister-in-law live in Loveland, Colorado. Our Aunt Pearl and Uncle Ted have lived in Loveland for many years. I e-mailed the Krump obituary to them. Aunt Pearl responded almost immediately that she has known Joan Krump for years. They met on a golf course and she is a pretty good golfer.

We want to take Jessica and Colin to an Alexandria girls hockey game at Breck on December 22. We hope an introduction to Minnesota’s beautiful winter sport will help change Jessica’s feelings about Eden Prairie. Breck is a private school located in Golden Valley, a neighboring city to Eden Prairie. Kathy Sherry Skadsberg is a member of Golden Valley Country Club (GVCC). Kathy grew up in Victoria Heights, just across the street from the house previously occupied by the Oberts and now occupied by the McCoys. Kathy has invited the Obert family, et al, to have lunch at GVCC prior to the Breck-Alex hockey game.

This getting too weird, even for me. (July 8, 2012)

Stuff began with an “emergency call” saying Kohler (girls’ basketball coach, Wendy) needed chaperone help for her class at Miltona Golf Club on Thursday, September 12. Ever ready to be of service, fellow Super Fan, Larry McCoy, and I arrived promptly that morning, meaning we had time for a full cup of coffee before the buses arrived. Much to our delight, we were assigned the front 9 where the group on the 1st tee consisted of four lady (well, they call themselves “ladies”) athletes of whom we are Super Fans. “Batting” here is Karly Betterman, of basketball, cross-country and track fame; and with her is Sarah Bruzek, of soccer, basketball, and softball fame. (September 12, 2013)

[Mom’s celebration of life on May 18, 2009 with current and past residents of Victoria Heights. The McCoys are on the far left.]

[At our mutual birthday in 2014 at Sixth Avenue Wine & Ale, with fellow September 4ers, Shelly Karnis and Marlene Collins.]

[Larry at the retirement party for longtime Cardinal broadcaster Dave Harris, December 17, 2014.]

[Here are 5 photos of Larry and Laura arriving at and seated at Cardinal basketball games in January and February 2016. I was on the opposite side of the court for photos ops. See if you can find them.]

It was the first indication of a new weather season – as I recall Brad reported the windchill to be in the 20’s at game time. Larry McCoy joined us in the parka and stocking cap brigade. In an effort to create warmth, small children were running up and down the field prior to kickoff. And, of course, kids just wear hoodies in this kind of weather because they are born with antifreeze in their veins. (October 19, 2016)

[I ultimately saw Larry at a couple games in a wheelchair, so this may have been the last game I saw him in the stands on December 6, 2018.]

Larry was always one of the best golfers in our league. But he didn’t appreciate our “game,” however, a pay out for polies, sandies, and greenies. So we’d really tease him when he’d come in with one of the best total scores, and still had to pull out his coin purse to pay quarters to others with more polies, greenies, or sandies. We used to say moths would fly out of that coin purse when he opened it. That coin purse belongs in the AGC hall of fame. Larry was never eligible to join the Fat Boys Walking Club. And it drove the rest of us (the Fat Boys) crazy because he always weighed 167 pounds, no matter how little – or how much – he ate. We will miss him.

We lost two other guys from the senior men’s league this past year. So here’s an homage to and final good-byes to Sam Joy and Bob Peterson.

[Sam, August 31, 2010]