Miriam McCoy, 1924-2023

Miriam McCoy, matriarch of her family and a Texas philanthropist, passed away on June 14, 2023. She was born to Lloyd Swanson and Florence Yager Swanson on December 17, 1924 on Long Island, New York. She and her brother, Lloyd, were raised in Millerton, New York, a small town in beautiful Dutchess County. Miriam met her future husband, Emmett, when she was 14 years old and he was 16. Emmett had traveled from Galveston, Texas to New York City to attend New York Trade School. He lived at the YMCA with another Texan. Miriam’s brother, who was attending New York University, lived there, too. When Thanksgiving came, the boys from Texas couldn’t travel home, so they were invited to Millerton for the holiday. Florence and Lloyd were known for their hospitality and welcomed the young Texans. When they walked into the Swanson home, Miriam was in the kitchen playing with a new puppy named Pal. After they met, Miriam and Emmett dated, often in New York City, where Miriam stayed with her uncle, Reginald Yager. Emmett escorted Miriam to her senior prom in Millerton. After Pearl Harbor, their romance was interrupted by World War II. Emmett worked in a shipyard in Orange, Texas and later served in the Pacific in the United States Army. Miriam went to secretarial school and worked in an office during the war. In 1946, Emmett returned from the Pacific and they were married in Albany, New York on February 23, 1946. They made their home in Galveston, where Emmett worked in the family roofing business. Pal moved to Texas with them and eventually was buried under a magnolia tree at their first home at 1308 Church St. in Galveston.

Emmett was a true entrepreneur. The roofing company grew to become McCoy’s Building Supply, which continues into its 96th year. Emmett and Miriam’s family grew, too. They had four children, Brenda, Michael, Brian, and Dennis. Miriam was a busy mom and also managed the family’s many rental properties. In 1961, the disastrous Hurricane Carla struck Galveston. The following year was a challenge and, at the same time, the roofing company and the two retail stores thrived. After a year, the McCoy family decided to take a much-needed vacation. They stayed at Landa Park in New Braunfels and Emmett became enthralled with the Texas Hill Country. Soon, he saw an ad for a ranch on the Blanco River near Kyle. Emmett and Miriam purchased this ranch and began to spend many weekends there. Eventually, they moved the headquarters of their growing business to San Marcos and built a home on the ranch. During this time, Brenda married Kaare Remme, Mike married Myra Partridge, Brian married Wetonnah Lane and Dennis married Cindy Cox. Their sons and son-in-law worked in the business. All four children made their homes in San Marcos and 10 grandchildren were born. In 1996, Emmett and Miriam celebrated their 50th anniversary with a party at Green Pastures in Austin, attended by friends and relatives from San Marcos and all around the United States. Having raised their family, Emmett and Miriam turned their attention to opportunities to give back to the communities that had supported their stores across the state. They were active in the Heritage Association of San Marcos. They were major contributors to area hospitals and the Hays Caldwell Women’s Center. Miriam was also instrumental in the development of the Miriam McCoy Shelter for Animals, now known as PAWS, and not long ago supported an expansion of this project to the Dripping Springs area. She was also instrumental in the development of Grand Companions Humane Society in Ft. Davis. She had pet dogs all her life — always rescue dogs. In 2004, Emmett and Miriam made their largest donation ever to the Texas State University College of Business which now bears their names. In recognition of this contribution, Miriam received an honorary doctorate from Texas State in 2007. The Emmett and Miriam McCoy Foundation continued its philanthropic works, making major donations to the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University, alma mater of all four of their children. The foundation also made major donations to the Museum of the Big Bend, which will open a new wing named in Miriam and Emmett’s honor this month.

During their time in San Marcos, Miriam and Emmett played tennis every week with friends at Quail Creek Country Club. They were avid runners and worked out regularly in their home exercise room. Miriam completed two 10K runs, placing in her age group in the Capitol 10,000. Miriam worked out with her personal trainer, Jack McMahon, for many years and as recently as this February. Her interest in fitness inspired her contribution to the Miriam McCoy Rehabilitation Center at Seton Ascension in Kyle. Miriam and Emmett also supported research at University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, for the treatment of Type I diabetes, which Miriam developed in her 40s. She managed her condition and remained active and healthy well into her 90s.

Miriam was known and loved for her positive outlook on life and her cheerful personality. In recent years, Miriam continued to reside in her ranch home which was always open to visitors at about 4 pm for “wine time”. This tradition was continued in the last few months of her life, which she spent at Sage Spring Assisted Living Community in San Marcos.

Miriam was preceded in death by her husband, Emmett, her son, Dennis and her grandson, Keith Remme. She is survived by her large, loving family who will cherish her memory: daughter, Brenda Remme and her husband, Kaare; son Michael and his wife, Myra; son, Brian and his wife, Wetonnah; and daughter-in-law, Cindy. She’s also survived by her grandchildren: Andy McCoy and his wife, Laurel; Kara Remme and her husband, Louis Doiron; Matthew McCoy and his wife, Denise; Heather Endsley and her husband, Phillip; Reid McCoy and his wife, Katherine; Kathryn Weinstein and her husband, Jon; Kristen Nunnelly and her husband, Scott; Meagan Jones and her husband, Richard; and Lori Medefind and her husband, Caleb. She had 29 great-grandchildren: Jayde, Alayna, Evan, Brecken, Genny Bell, Otto, Rylan, Lucas, Anna, Nathan, Emma, Jackson, Coleton, Corinne, Hope, Kiera, Wyatt, Stella, Teddy, Gideon, Greta, Grant, Kyle, Kendall, Taylor, Caroline, Barrett, Lyla and Weston.

A private family service is planned at historic Blanco Chapel on the McCoy Ranch near Kyle.

The McCoy family is forever grateful to the caregivers who made it possible for Miriam to live safely at home during her final years, including: Deidre Laffere, RN; Margarita Castillo, Angelica Camarillo, Shirley Flores, Tori Maldonado, Bernice Mendoza, Maria Ibarra Rangel, Virginia Rendon, Vanessa Sandoval, Mary Helen Stewart, Janette Weems, Gail Zavala and others through the years, and also to Hope Hospice nurse, Mary Tison.

Memorials in Miriam’s memory may be made to support the McCoy Scholars Endowment at the McCoy College of Business Foundation, McCoy Hall 322, 601 University Drive, San Marcos TX 78666; Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center, P.O. Box 234, San Marcos TX 78667; Grand Companions Humane Society, P.O. Box 1156, Fort Davis TX 79734, or a charity of your choice.