Our Local Hero - John Richard McCoy
John had many roles in his life and it was noted by his daughter Angela McCoy that each of those roles were a lifetime in themselves, most notable as the…
John Richard McCoy
OCTOBER 29, 1943 – JUNE 6, 2023
John had many roles in his life and it was noted by his daughter Angela McCoy that each of those roles were a lifetime in themselves, most notable as the Chair of the Democratic Caucus with the Washington State Senate.
John was born in 1943 on the Tulalip Indian Reservation, he married his childhood friend and companion Jeannie McKay in 1965 and raised three daughters.
John was a 1961 graduate of El Capitan High School in Lakeside, CA.
John’s career began with commercial fishing in Puget Sound until he enlisted in the Air Force where he served for 20 years. Upon retiring as a Technical Sergeant (E-6) from his last duty station at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, he was immediately recruited by UNISYS to continue his government work as a Computer Programmer, and he was assigned to staff the Reagan White House situation room.
Stan Jones, then-Chairman of Tulalip Tribes, actively recruited John to return home to the reservation to pursue economic development. Indian gaming had commenced and the Tribes were struggling to adapt and build the infrastructure necessary for this powerful new form of economic development. John’s contributions to the development of Quil Ceda Village and infrastructure gained national recognition for his innovation, stewardship and stellar success within the Tulalip Indian Reservation.
McCoy established a legacy of steady leadership and commitment to serving his community. He brought a career in military service and years as a computer technician and business leader to his work at the Legislature, culminating in a lawmaker who effectively advanced economic development and equality of opportunity for his district. His work is characterized by tireless advocacy for Native American and rural communities, expanded access to high-quality education, and environmental sustainability.
Before McCoy became one of the longest serving Native American legislators in the state’s history, he led efforts to bring better telecommunication infrastructure to the Tulalip Tribe, of which he is a registered member. He also helped bring to fruition the Quil Ceda Village shopping, casino and hotel complex, a triumph of community that ultimately earned him the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Executive of the Year award.
During his subsequent five terms in the Washington State House of Representatives, McCoy fought for students, for the environment, for a healthy economy and for tribal communities. He sponsored policy that expanded support for students struggling with behavioral and emotional health needs, protected water rights and access, deterred wage discrimination and protected immigrant workers, and integrated comprehensive tribal history and culture education into teacher preparation programs.
After he was elected to the Washington State Senate, he led victories like the passage of the Native American Voting Rights Act to expand voting rights access in tribal communities, and passage of a groundbreaking dental therapy bill to expand dental care on reservations. He also established Native American Heritage Day, honoring tribal history the day after Thanksgiving, and got the Kelsey Smith Act signed into law, requiring wireless-telecommunications providers to provide call-location information for cell phones in emergency situations.
In a letter to his Senate colleagues, McCoy wrote: “It has been the greatest honor to serve the people of Washington alongside you. It has been a gift to advocate for marginalized and disenfranchised Washingtonians, to lift up the voices of our sovereign tribal communities, to expand access to – and quality of – education and health care, and to do so with a team of dedicated public servants.”
McCoy was elected by his colleagues to serve as chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus in 2016, and most recently served on the Natural Resources Committee, the Agriculture, Water, Trade and Economic Development Committee, and the Rules Committee.
John was bestowed with an Honorary Master of Public Administration degree, and recognized as the 2020 Public Official of the Year by the Master of Public Administration program of The Evergreen State College.
John served as Washington State Legislator from 2003 to 2020, first as a Representative and then as a Senator, representing the 38th Legislative District (Everett / Marysville / Tulalip). He was elected by his colleagues to serve as the chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus in 2016.
SR 8623 – Recognizing Senator John McCoy
“It is my great honor to bring this resolution before the [Senate] today to honor my friend, mentor, and colleague Senator John McCoy,” said Senator June Robinson (D-Everett), who succeeded McCoy in the House and now the Senate. “The words of the resolution talk about many of the wonderful qualities that Senator McCoy brought to the legislator and everything that he does.
“He is the ultimate long-game player,” she continued. “In true Native American philosophy he always reminded me to think about the future and to think about the long game. You can make this decision now, but you can change later. Sage advice from a true visionary. Someone for whom this body and the state of Washington and the people of Washington are much better off because of his service.”
Excerpt from Tulalip News - Kim Kalliber - April, 13, 2021
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