Obituary of Diane McCoy

Diane Kay McCoy, 78, of Olympia, Wash., passed away peacefully on March 31, 2025. Diane was born in Bellingham, Wash. to the late Bert and Henrietta VanderPol. Diane grew up in Sunnyside, Wash. with sister Linda (Pilot) and late siblings Nelis (VanderPol) and Mavis (Davis). Diane grew up cutting asparagus before high school, cruising with girlfriends in her 1950 Ford, and enjoying the simpler times. Sunnyside is where Diane met her husband of 55 years, Michael (Mike) McCoy. The high school sweethearts married in 1969 and soon moved to Okinawa where Mike was stationed with the United States Air Force. They enjoyed learning about Japanese culture, and Diane was proud to attend the 1970 Osaka World Fair. Mike’s next assignment brought them to Germany in 1971 where they enjoyed visiting cities, castles, and camping. Highlights included seeing the 1972 Olympics and Oktoberfest in Munich. Diane was especially happy when her parents visited and they all traveled to Amsterdam, Holland to see relatives there. Their first son Sean was born in Augsburg in 1974. They returned to Washington shortly after and in 1982 welcomed their second son Brion. Diane loved being a mom and was considered a second mom to many of her kids’ friends. Becoming a grandmother gave Diane immense joy—she doted on her grandsons as much as possible. Diane’s love of family connections grew over the years, and she was an avid amateur genealogist, spending hours online and in the car collecting and preserving family history. One of her greatest prides was locating her mother’s biological family 99 years after adoption. Diane was known for her sense of humor, often softening people into smiles the moment she met them. She had a colorful personality, tempered by a sensibility that made her a steady advisor to her friends and family. Her generosity was evident, and she loved making each holiday and get-together a memorable experience. Diane worked in banking and state government. She treasured the friendships and connections she made with co-workers and customers over the years. After a diagnosis of liver cancer in 2019, Diane became an advocate for liver cancer awareness and urged others to know more about symptoms. Her courage through her health challenges were an inspiration to many. She was a supporter of the American Cancer Society, brightening her patio each spring with fundraiser flower baskets. Diane is survived by her husband Michael, their two sons, Sean and Brion, daughters-in-law Nikki and Chrystal, and grandsons Morgan, Quinn, and Nicolas, as well as many friends and family members. Diane’s family is planning a Celebration of Life for Saturday, June 21, 2025, at the Odd Fellows Park at 6500 79th Ave NE in Olympia, Washington. More details will be shared directly with friends and family, and be made available on social media as the plan develops.