Douglas Robert McCoy, 78

Douglas Robert McCoy was born to Delia (Parsons) and Milton McCoy on Aug. 12, 1942, at the Providence Hospital in Wallace, Idaho.

The McCoys welcomed their second son to the home they built in Osburn, but quickly realized he was seriously ill. After many attempts to seek treatment from physicians, a friend of Delia’s recognized the symptoms as an allergic reaction to cow’s milk. Even after changing the formula brought improvement, the doctor warned that the baby wouldn’t live a year. Doug outlived the doctor’s prediction and misdiagnosis, as well as the doctor himself — fighting through health challenges to spend nearly 79 years making friends across the Silver Valley and becoming a fixture of the community.

Doug went to Mrs. Cook’s first grade at Osburn Elementary School before attending Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. He became a staple at the Osburn Club, walking there every afternoon to enjoy an orange juice, talk with other regulars and sing any Elvis song requested — he had the King of Rock and Roll’s catalogue memorized. Doug was a familiar face to many in the Silver Valley, including the engineers of trains running on the local railways who looked forward to his daily waves. In 1994, when the Union Pacific trains took their last run through the area, the engineers stopped to pick Doug up so he could see what their trip was like from Wallace to Burke all the years he greeted them.

When not out and about, Doug enjoyed listening to everything on KWAL — with the familiar introductory line “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” to his favorite radio drama often overheard from his room. He was also an avid sports fan, never missing a KWAL broadcast about local games, boxing matches with Rocky Marciano, or his beloved Chicago Cubs. A diehard bleacher bum, Doug watched the Cubs during spring training at Hohokum Park in Mesa, Ariz., where he met the voice of the Cubs and one of his heroes, Harry Carey. When the Cubs broke the Curse of the Billy Goat by winning the 2016 World Series, Doug was cheering them on with a signature Harry Carey “Holy Cow!”

Doug is survived by his eldest brother, Mick McCoy of Lewiston, Idaho; and numerous nieces and nephews who will remember “Bobert” as an unfailingly loving uncle. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Frank and Mike; as well as sister Patty McCoy.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, at the St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Wallace, with Father Jerome Montez serving as Celebrant. Graveside services will be held at the Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens in Coeur d’Alene following the Mass; everyone is welcome. In light of the spike in COVID-19 cases, including Doug’s own, the family will not be holding a gathering or reception after services and encourages everyone to remain safe.

Doug’s family would like to thank the staff of the Good Samaritan Silver Wood Village for their excellent care and encourage you to remember him by donating to them at P.O. Box 358, Silverton, ID 83867; or to the Shriners Hospital for Children-Spokane, 911 W. Fifth Ave., Spokane, WA 99204.

Shoshone Funeral Services, Kellogg, Idaho, is entrusted with services. You may share your memories of Doug and sign his guest book at www.shoshonefuneralservice.com.