Robert Justus McCoy

On Tuesday, April 6, 2021, Robert Justus McCoy, loving husband, father, Korean war veteran, outdoorsman and all around standup good guy passed away at the age of 92 on Staten Island, NY. Robert was born on March 5, 1929, in Brooklyn NY to Anna (Roeder) and James Howard McCoy. His middle name 'Justus' (Latin for upright, just) was taken from his grandfather Justus Gustav Roeder and later passed along to that of his two sons, Matthew Justus and Brian Justus McCoy. He grew up in Brooklyn...starting out in Red Hook where his Mother's family owned the Roeder Caf� serving local dockworkers at the base of Court Street until the 1960s while his father (formerly an Army sergeant in WW1) worked as an auto mechanic in Bay Ridge. Both of which explain much about Bob's future. He lived at several additional addresses in Brooklyn's Prospect Park until moving his young family to S.I. in 1965. Bob, as he was called by most, went to Brooklyn Technical and Alexander Hamilton High Schools where an early interest in things electronic emerged. Heading directly to work, then the military after finishing high school in 1947, he later held Signal Maintenance and Radio Technician positions with the NYC Transit Authority and the Office of Civil Defense from 1945 through 1964 while continuing to study radio communications during the Korean War while based in Eta Jima Japan and locally at the RCA Institute upon his return. In 1964 he transitioned to a Radio Repair Mechanic position with the Communications Division of the NYC Police Department where he remained until retirement in 1987. Handling maintenance for crucial citywide police networks, he often had cause to work from the roof of the Twin Towers. From 1959 to 1963 he also ran a laundry bushiness in Washington Heights with a partner. He was a Korean War Veteran, served in the United States Army's Signal Corps division as a Sergeant from 1951 to 1953, stationed in Korea and Japan during the Korean War. During his service, he received the following medals: Merit Unit Citation United Nations Service Medal Korean Service Medal with Two Bronze Service Stars Republic of Korea Korean War Service Medal He met his wife Connie in 1953. They married on April 16, 1955, and raised two sons Matthew and Brian and two daughters, Suzanne and Melissa. They would have celebrated 66 years of marriage this month. Upon moving his family to Annadale S.I. in 1965 for a better quality of life, Bob commuted by car to work In Queens purposefully preferring night shifts to escape traffic woes and have time to tend to his family, yard, car and hobbies during the day. You could always find him tinkering in the garage, the yard or on one of the family's cars. Preferring solitary activities, fixing and maintaining things were his favorite pastime, always accompanied by the radio. His garage was his private kingdom with its treasure chest of tools at the ready. Talk radio his favorite companion and learning device. He loved to learn and was self taught on most things. Doing things being less important than knowing about them, he could speak knowledgeably on near any subject from music to world politics to the latest stock market or entertainment trends never having gone to a concert, eaten in that restaurant or visited that part of the world. Not one to participate in idle chatter or start a conversation, still he was never with a loss of words or unable to impart wisdom on most subjects if approached. Gentle, even tempered and soft spoken, Bob appeared to live by the motto, ''If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything'', You could always count on him to impart sound advice. His nonchalant closeness somehow always feeling endearing, especially to his son's friends, many recalling long conversations with him standing in the driveway or by a car he was working on because Bob rarely took a moment to sit down. Appreciated and admired by all, he will be remembered for his kindness, great advice and willing ear. Bob loved swimming and was excellent at it. It was his go to stress reliever and favorite participatory sport. Swimming at the Red Hook public pool as a kid, he soon transitioned to ocean swimming and never looked back. As well paced and tirelessly as he did everything, he would swim confidently and near endlessly bay to bay at Jacob Riis Park in Rockaway Queens. Even upon moving to S.I. and long into his retirement, he would continue to make the one hour plus drive there and back for his favorite activity along the beach he'd grown to love like no other. Bob also held a lifelong passion for nature and the outdoors. He grew to become a committed old school hunter and freshwater fisherman... often doing either with his brother Jim and introducing those worlds to his sons. He was a longtime member of the Yankee Road and Gun Club in Charlottesville NY and the family spent many summer vacations at the organizations clubhouse as well. An ardent lifelong car, sports car and road racing enthusiast, he loved anything and everything about automobiles. Surely influenced by his father's work, caring for and tinkering with their mechanical parts was always a pleasure for him. The fondness began in his youth starting with motorcycles in 1948, soon turning to sports cars. Owning a 1941 Cadillac was a particular joy as a single man, but as a family man, the practical Buick became his four wheel drive out of necessity. Re-channeling his passion, the national Daytona and Indie 500 races became favorites to watch... again, passing that love on to his son Brian. Frugal and always with his family's long term financial security in mind, he lived simply with experience, not material things, of most importance. The value of 'getting away' was important to Bob and he made sure to introduce his family to its wealth of discovery. Dad always managed to accrue month long time away and the money for extended family vacations each summer. When not driving them to the beach at Riis Park or Upstate New York, he was packing his wife, four kids and a German Shepard in a car with no air conditioning to see America... from Maine to Jackson Hole Wyoming to Niagara Falls to Santa Fe to Montreal's Expo 67 World's Fair. The only driver in the family at that time, he never complained even if his crew often grew weary. After retirement with a family grown, he spent time assisting his grown children with their own homes, businesses and revisited travel again with them to Florida, Maine, New Orleans, Las Vegas while continuing to tinker on his home and cars. Never without a good appetite, but always knowing when to be done, Bob remained busy and lean his entire life. He passed away of natural causes never having ill health or needing to take a prescribed medication of any kind his entire life. He is survived by his wife Connie, his two daughters Suzanne McCoy Fitschen of NYC and Melissa, and his brother John McCoy. Robert was preceded in death by his father James H. McCoy, Sr. his mother Anna McCoy,and his brother James McCoy, Jr., and his two sons Matthew and Brian. A Funeral service will be at 8:00 PM on Friday at John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals, Inc. located at 28 Eltingville Blvd Staten Island, New York 10312. The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Friday, April 9, 2021, at John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals, Inc., 28 Eltingville Blvd, Staten Island, New York. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made in Robert's name to Project Hospitality. Please be mindful due to the current State mandate that a mask must be worn at all times in the funeral home and social distancing requirements must be followed during the services. Due to the current Pandemic a strict 50 person in room policy is in effect. Please adhere to this policy and allow o

Robert Justus McCoy

March 5, 1929 - April 6, 2021