On the wings of a bluebird…
…into the arms of her Savior Jesus Christ, Lynne Ellen McCoy, 83, passed away peacefully with her family at her side the morning of February 24, 2024, at her home of 57 years in Winter Park, FL. Now in heaven, she has regained all the memories she lost these past years due to Alzheimer’s Disease.
Though small and petite, Lynne was a very strong person. She was born the oldest of tiny identical twins in Burbank, CA to parents Robert & Eleanor Baker. She spent her childhood moving multiple times due to her father’s career as a Strategic Air Command Liaison Officer for the Air Force. It included living in Madrid, Spain during her middle school years where she learned to speak Spanish. Her love for animals developed at a young age with family dogs, and other critters, and with a special love for horseback riding in the mountains of Albuquerque, NM, and the hills of Spain.
At the University of Nebraska, she was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority and received her BA in Social Work. While there, she met her future husband, Clayton McCoy, on a blind date. After marrying in 1963, they headed to graduate school at the University of California at Riverside for Clay’s PhD in Entomology while Lynne supported them by working for Lutheran Family Services in the Foster Care program.
After his graduate school in 1967, Clay accepted an entomology position with the USDA in Orlando and they moved to Orlando, FL. Within months, they moved into their home in the Winter Park Pines neighborhood, that Lynne loved so much, where they raised their two children, Lisa, and Patrick. After two years, Clay accepted a professorship at the University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Lynne supported Clay’s career, attending conferences with him and making him over 8,000 brown bag lunches during his 33 years of working. The family were active members of Trinity Downtown Lutheran Church and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and School. Lynne volunteered as an offering counter, in the children’s nursery, as a donation recorder and Sunday morning donut crew.
Lynne was a full-time domestic engineer making sure Lisa and Pat had fulfilling lives. She was an active mom: PTA homeroom mom for several years; involved in boosters; attended ballet classes; all the baseball, basketball, volleyball games and track meets. Lynne believed in always sending a thank you note and proper manners, especially when showing appreciation. She was an excellent seamstress who sewed her family’s clothes and drapes. She believed that line-dried clothes smelled so much better, and she never left the house without putting on her lipstick. She was an expert gardener who loved growing roses. She not only cared for her family but countless pet dogs, fish, turtles, guinea pigs, a cat, snakes and more. As an extension of her love for dogs, Lynne and Clay were founding members of Fleet People’s Dog Park (now Lake Baldwin Dog Park).
Lynne was an active member of the Winter Park YMCA for all those years and was a dedicated ceramic student (including being a fellow) for over 30 years at Crealde School of Art – her home away from home. She loved Crealde’s creative and social environment and her many friends there.
Lynne, a true nature girl, loved the Florida outdoors, especially on the family’s 14-ft 1977 McKee Craft boat, exploring on the St. John’s River, Wekiwa River, Little Econ River, Lake Harney, the Winter Park Chain of Lakes, Oak Hill, the Indian River, and the Gulf Coast of Florida, especially Englewood. She enjoyed shelling, clamming, shrimping, and scalloping on the grass flats of the Homosassa and Crystal Rivers. She witnessed the launch of Apollo 11 from the space coast and saw the first Space Shuttle launch in April of 1981 while camping on an island in the Indian River Lagoon. Due to Clay’s career, she was fortunate to have tagged along and traveled to six continents and countless islands. Her favorite were the Galapagos Islands because of their amazing wildlife. She marveled at the natural world and often said “nature is amazing.”
Lynne was (and still is, in heaven) a diehard Florida Gator fan who tried to never miss a football or basketball game and would happily cheer “Go Gators” to anyone sporting a Gator logo.
Despite the trials of her illness, Lynne’s faith in God never waned. It held steadfast with her prayers and the Holy Spirit’s guidance and love. God blessed us with a beautiful, selfless, kind mother, who genuinely thought of others before herself. She loved her family deeply and showed it every day.
Lynne is survived by daughter Lisa McCoy (Brian Buchner); son Patrick McCoy (Lindsay Gordon); sister Lael Baker (Richard Anderson); niece Julie McCoy Elmer (Steve); and nephews Todd McCoy and Scott McCoy (Charles DeFranco); and grandnieces Sara Scott; Samantha Seifert and Meagan Reynolds. She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years Clayton W. McCoy, Jr., and her parents Robert & Eleanor Baker. Lynne’s final resting place will be with her beloved husband and family at Home Cemetery in Sleepy Eye, MN.
The family is forever indebted to wonderful friends and neighbors Cyndie Cox, Peg Spellman, Chrissy & Brad White, Laura and Scott McFadzen, and the caregivers who showed much kindness for Lynne over the years: Fay, Maria, Benedita, Kareen, Joan, Cristi, Monica, Connie, and Anna.
Lynne’s funeral will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at 11 a.m. in St. Luke’s Lutheran Church & School Chapel at 2021 W. State Road 426, Oviedo, FL (across from Lukas Nursery).