Obituary of Robert Gordon McCoy

Robert G. McCoy died peacefully on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at the Franciscan Oaks Health Center, Denville, NJ seven days shy of his 100th birthday. Born in Red Bluffs, CA on March 24 1915, he was raised in northern Idaho and then in Slippery Rock, PA. He attended Penn State University, graduating in 1941 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. While there, he earned his way by repairing clocks and watches at a local jewelry store. Robert also completed a pilot training program, was on the rifle team, and in 1940 was selected for the All-American Rifle Team. After graduation, Robert joined Bell Laboratories as a member of the technical staff in New York City, the first of several work locations, ending in Whippany, NJ. He was assigned to classified military work in which Bell Labs was heavily involved, resulting in his deferment from military service. While at Bell Labs, he continued his education, receiving a Master Degree from Columbia University in 1949. Much of Robert's engineering career was spent on military work, including components for gun directors, bomb sight, radars, and missile guidance instruments. Telecommunication work included the wire spring relay, Automatic Message Accounting, Mole Project, Blast Valve, and Serring Area Interface. Retiring in 1980, his work resulted in seven patents. Robert McCoy was a founding member of the Conference of Professional Technical Personnel at Bell Labs, whose purpose was to communicate staff member concerns with management while avoiding unionization. As a member of that group, he organized the first medical insurance plan at Bell Labs in 1957. Robert married Joan Powell in 1945 and then Catherine Frech in 1984 after Joan's passing in 1977. Catherine passed away in December 2010. Home activities, at Whippany, N.J. included gardening with fruit trees, along with many home and yard projects. He and his second wife moved to the Franciscan Oaks retirement home in October of 1995. Robert is survived by a loving daughter, Melinda McCoy-Miller, and son-in-law William Miller of Green Township, NJ, four stepchildren all living in Florida, Joan Wainman, Janice Hawkes, Suzanne Gutmann, Robert Frech and many nieces and nephews. At Robert's request, there will be no public services. Norman Dean Home For Services, Inc., 16 Righter Ave., Denville, NJ has been entrusted with his arrangements. If desired, memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to: The First Presbyterian Church of Whippany, 494 State Hwy. 10, Whippany, NJ 07860 or New Sussex Symphony, PO Box 859, Newton, NJ 07860.