Terry Alan Mccoy

Terry Alan McCoy
- Easley, SC

Longtime educator Terry McCoy of Columbia died Sunday. Mr. McCoy, 61, was student activities director at Richland Northeast High School and executive director of the South Carolina Association of Student Councils. A native of Easley, Mr. McCoy was born on August 4, 1947. Following a short illness, Mr. McCoy had spent the past week at Hospice of the Upstate in Anderson.
An English and French teacher with 40 years' experience, Mr. McCoy was a respected mentor to student government leaders throughout South Carolina. Today there are countless civic, community and business leaders who first learned their lessons of service from Mr. McCoy, affectionately known to many of them as "T-Mac."
An eloquent speaker of both languages that he taught, Mr. McCoy impressed on his students the value of precision in English. He passed this passion on to the many students who have served on his award-winning school yearbook staffs.
A towering figure with a beautiful bass voice, Mr. McCoy was a true gentleman who fostered courtesy among those around him. Each of the events he touched bore his personal stamp, as he oversaw the many details that together made those occasions successful and memorable for the participants and spectators. As Richland Northeast's first student activities director, Mr. McCoy leaves a legacy of such events he created, including the Miss Richland Northeast pageant and the school's commencement ceremony, among many others.
At Richland Northeast, Mr. McCoy established the student government, a leadership effort that is nationally recognized for its success. Student life at the school has been immeasurably enriched by Mr. McCoy's efforts. Prior to coming to Richland Northeast at the school's opening, Mr. McCoy taught at Spring Valley and Dentsville high schools. For his efforts in Richland School District Two, Mr. McCoy was in 2005 presented the Richland School District Two Unsung Hero Award.
Mr. McCoy was a devoted and active member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, where he served as bass soloist and section leader in the Chancel Choir for 25 years. In 1991, he served as chairman of the committee to adopt the new Presbyterian Hymnal. His good will and humor were credited with making the task a smooth one. Mr. McCoy has been a member of the Carolina Chorale and the Arpad Darazs Singers. In addition, for several seasons he was a leading member of the bass section in the Palmetto Mastersingers. Among several solos he had with the group, many of its members recall his infectious rendering of "Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas."
Mr. McCoy was an avid Gamecock fan and a loyal supporter of the Richland Northeast Cavaliers. He enjoyed the fellowship of a group of teachers and friends who went to dinner and Cavalier games together on Friday nights. His love of sports was nurtured as a young man keeping score for a local textile league baseball team in his hometown.
Especially admired for his efforts to develop high quality student councils, Mr. McCoy was a member of the National Association of Student Councils, the National Association of Workshop Directors and National Association of State Student Council Executive Directors. He served as a mentor to new executive directors of the NASSCED and was on the organization's executive board. Mr. McCoy was a member of the Southern Association of Student Councils, one of the oldest student council organizations in the nation.