Richard Winn McCoy Jr.
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 24, 2009
CYPRESS, Texas — Richard Winn McCoy Jr. died Nov. 13, 2009, while on a diving excursion on the Florida Keys. He was 51.
Richard is survived by his beloved wife, Blythe Warner McCoy of Cypress, Texas, and formerly of Vicksburg; his devoted sons, Richard Winn McCoy III and Austin Holder McCoy, both of Cypress; a brother, Chris McCoy of Phoenix; a sister, Betsy McCoy Berner of Red Bank, N.J.; two nieces; two nephews; and father and mother-in-law, Chick and Peggy Warner.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard Winn McCoy Sr. and Caroline Ann McCoy of Colts Neck, N.J.
Richard was born in Summit, N.J., and grew up with his extended family in Colts Neck. He attended Marlboro High School where he was a member of the wrestling, track and field and football teams. He loved to sail and surf with his friends and family along the Jersey shore.
He later attended Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla., where he graduated with honor and distinction with an Associate of Science degree in ocean engineering. Prior to moving to Texas in 1988, he worked on the East Coast in Washington, D.C., and Mystic, Conn., building nuclear submarines.
Rich had been employed with Oceaneering International Inc. for many years where he held a variety of positions most recently as the director of Emerging Subsea Technologies Deepwater Technical Solutions. He had the great honor to work with many people in the subsea and oil industries in the Untied States and across the world. He was a brilliant engineer and prolific designer and inventor, owning nine patents with several more pending.
Rich had a keen mind and a sense of humor. He was such an interesting person because he was interested in so many things. His hobbies included deep sea diving, mountain biking, sky diving, model ship building, computers, electronics, wood working, cooking, history and music. He will be profoundly missed.