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 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.

Prior to assuming the role of executive director of the South Carolina Association of Student Councils in 1985, Mr. McCoy was the assistant executive director for three years. Under Mr. McCoy’s direction, the organization’s state summer leadership training camp has grown to capacity, training hundreds of students in leadership skills. Many participants fondly recall their experiences at the camp, commonly referred to among them as “Cherry Grove” for the location in which it is held.

In 2007, Mr. McCoy developed the first Middle School Student Council Workshop in South Carolina, which is held in January in conjunction with the SCASC Advisors’ Workshop.

Mr. McCoy was recognized for his service to student councils with the 1994 nomination for the Southern Association of Student Councils Advisor of the Year; the 1995 SCASC Advisor of the Year; the 1996 NASC South Carolina Warren E. Shull winner and the 2003 NASC/NAWD Earl Reum Award - Region 3 winner. In 2007, Mr. McCoy was recognized at the state convention for 30 years of service to SCASC.

A 1965 graduate of Easley High School, Mr. McCoy graduated in 1969 from the University of South Carolina. He was a former treasurer of the South Carolina Foreign Language Teachers Association.

Mr. McCoy was preceded in death by his parents, Troy E. and Varo McCoy. He is survived by two sisters, Dot M. Brown and Glenda M. Cannon and husband, Buddy, all of Easley; three nieces, Tomi Lane, Linda Adams and Teresa Bearden; and a nephew, Glenn Cannon; two great-nephews, Heath Lane and Bradley Cannon; three great-nieces, Kelli Hunt, Leslie Mousa and Marlee Cannon; two great-great-nephews, Kaleb Land and Kolton Lane; and a great-great-niece, Cadence Mousa.

A memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 20, 2008, at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Ellen Skidmore and Rev. Amos Disasa officiating.

The family requests that memorials to Mr. McCoy be made to the Terry A. McCoy Leadership Scholarship, c/o the Central Carolina Community Foundation, 2711 Middleburg Drive, Suite 213, Columbia, SC 29204.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, which is assisting the family.