Coy Jacobs Gone West

[johnggreen]

Depending on one's perspective, Coy Jacobs was an icon or a demon in the Mooney community. Coy, bless his soul, had a way of making close friends and lasting enemies. I became his friend 15 years ago, and it lasted.

Whatever your take on Coy, no one was ever a bigger advocate of the Mooney aircraft. He published many articles on the various models and a magazine, The Mooney Pilot. More than anyone else, he was the most encouraging force in my choosing to buy a Mooney Bravo in 2005, an airplane I came to dearly love and miss to this day.

For several years, I wrote articles for Coy and the magazine. I think it was his second divorce, maybe his third, that brought an end to its publication. I miss the magazine, the airplane, and now, Coy.

We talked fairly regularly, him calling me as often as I called him. He had a light stroke some months back but had recovered and vowed to fly up to see me one weekend. His last call a couple of weeks ago was about his youngest son applying to law school. He figured that Karen and I were pretty good sources of advice.

His oldest son, Clayton, texted me Friday that Coy was in the hospital in serious condition. We couldn't make a contact as that is the day we were flying back from North Dakota in the Cessna 195. This morning Clayton called to say that Coy had passed away.

There are no perfect people or perfect friendships, but friends come few and far between. At my age, they are becoming fewer and the betweens wider. Life is never fair or even and never long enough. We move through it thinking, hoping that we are in some control, but it is a fallacy. Our friends will become fewer until that day that we are the one that has been lost to those few remaining.

I'll not waste platitudes of "rest in peace" or "gone to a better place" or anything else of which I have no knowledge. A group of people, most of whom I don't know, have lost a friend. I'll shed a tear and move forward waiting for the next loss or the day that I am, hopefully, the friend lost.

Blue skies my friend. Oops, that was a platitude.

Jg

[carusoam]

John,

Nice to hear from you!

Sorry that it is over such a deep subject... and concerning Coy.

Coy’s shop generated some awesome retrofits/updates.

Thanks for sharing the news.

Best regards,

-a-

[Shadrach]

1 hour ago, johnggreen said:

Depending on one's perspective, Coy Jacobs was an icon or a demon in the Mooney community. Coy, bless his soul, had a way of making close friends and lasting enemies. I became his friend 15 years ago, and it lasted.

Whatever your take on Coy, no one was ever a bigger advocate of the Mooney aircraft. He published many articles on the various models and a magazine, The Mooney Pilot. More than anyone else, he was the most encouraging force in my choosing to buy a Mooney Bravo in 2005, an airplane I came to dearly love and miss to this day.

For several years, I wrote articles for Coy and the magazine. I think it was his second divorce, maybe his third, that brought an end to its publication. I miss the magazine, the airplane, and now, Coy.

We talked fairly regularly, him calling me as often as I called him. He had a light stroke some months back but had recovered and vowed to fly up to see me one weekend. His last call a couple of weeks ago was about his youngest son applying to law school. He figured that Karen and I were pretty good sources of advice.

His oldest son, Clayton, texted me Friday that Coy was in the hospital in serious condition. We couldn't make a contact as that is the day we were flying back from North Dakota in the Cessna 195. This morning Clayton called to say that Coy had passed away.

There are no perfect people or perfect friendships, but friends come few and far between. At my age, they are becoming fewer and the betweens wider. Life is never fair or even and never long enough. We move through it thinking, hoping that we are in some control, but it is a fallacy. Our friends will become fewer until that day that we are the one that has been lost to those few remaining.

I'll not waste platitudes of "rest in peace" or "gone to a better place" or anything else of which I have no knowledge. A group of people, most of whom I don't know, have lost a friend. I'll shed a tear and move forward waiting for the next loss or the day that I am, hopefully, the friend lost.

Blue skies my friend. Oops, that was a platitude.

Jg

Thanks for posting this John.

[RogueOne]

My only direct contact with Coy was to thank him for his MooneyMart website and his magazine. I had learned from his Mooney wisdom and wanted to say thanks for he more than any other (pre Mooneyspace) steered me to the “backwards tail”. He reached out his hand and gave me a small Mooney pin. “Wander around out in the shop”. There are some beauties out there...he said. I did and my love affair that had been by magazine and then internet led me to many adventures. Most of them good. 

I battled with you a time or two here John, but I always respected you. Honoring friendship, a trait of a good human. That you are. 

Nice words remembering a friend. Thanks for sharing.

Peace Coy. 

[aviatoreb]

John thank you for the tribute and I am very sorry to hear about Mr Coy's passing.

Erik

[thinwing]

Nice eulogy for a friend...thanks for posting

[Jerry Pressley]

Sold Coy his first plane to mod while he was in ST Louis area. Lost contact later but sorry to hear of his passing. jerry pressley

[Herlihy Brother]

Before we had online resources, I responded to Coy's 20 pounds of Mooney literature for $20 ad In trade a plane. Was like waiting for Christmas.

Thanks Coy, tailwinds.

[steingar]

Condolences.  Problem with growing old is those we leave behind.

[aviatoreb]

My dad always had a fun and funny way of saying things, and he used to say on the topic of deteriorating health with age:

Getting old isn't for the feint of heart.

[Hank]

9 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

My dad always had a fun and funny way of saying things, and he used to say on the topic of deteriorating health with age:

Getting old isn't for the feint of heart.

My Marine dad is more succinct. The approved MooneySpace version is:  Getting old isn't for wusses.     

[bonal]

My Aunt, rest her soul put it better than I have ever heard when she responded to my comment that I was getting old. She said 

"Your not as old as your gonna be"

[aviatoreb]

35 minutes ago, bonal said:

My Aunt, rest her soul put it better than I have ever heard when she responded to my comment that I was getting old. She said 

"Your not as old as your gonna be"

I love it.

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

My Marine dad is more succinct. The approved MooneySpace version is:  Getting old isn't for wusses.     

Its good.  Keep on going tough Marine dad!

[Marauder]

My mother's classic line about getting old: "it's a slow descent into the abyss".

[Gagarin]

RIP Coy. Met him at Sun'Fun several times. I too had a stroke but not recovered 100%. Going tomorrow for acupuncture therapy.

José

N11606

 

[RLCarter]

5 hours ago, Gagarin said:

RIP Coy. Met him at Sun'Fun several times. I too had a stroke but not recovered 100%. Going tomorrow for acupuncture therapy.
José
N11606

Welcome back, and heres to a full recovery

[FloridaMan]

On 9/25/2019 at 1:01 PM, aviatoreb said:

My dad always had a fun and funny way of saying things, and he used to say on the topic of deteriorating health with age:

Getting old isn't for the feint of heart.

It beats the alternative. 

[Frank B.]

I met Coy in 1987. While I couldn’t bank roll a full Trophy conversion either a 211 or a 212, or a 201 Cowl back then, Coy done my first one piece windshield as well as some other minor speed mods. Coy always gave me a fair shake and was always willing to share his knowledge over the phone, pro bono of course.

 

[Farmboy561]

Ran across this and thought I'd chime in. Thanks John G. for the nice words. I was part of the original Mod Works before Mooney Mart came to be. Coy, Tim Coons and Kevin Surrell were all there with me. We shared many great times that will always stay with me. Kevin is gone and Coy is gone. I still have the photo of the day Joan flew in at sun-n-fun. I won't share the secrets I know of them but that was his soon to be new wife. I helped Coy get started with Mooney Mart and helped move him in that hangar. Even that was a battle with some people. I have stories that would get us both in trouble back then, but I will take those stories to my grave. Coy and I were in touch a few times prior to his passing. I can say, he never changed his way of thinking. I still talk to his daughter. He is missed and loved!

Peace!

[carusoam]

1 minute ago, Farmboy561 said:

Ran across this and thought I'd chime in. Thanks John G. for the nice words. I was part of the original Mod Works before Mooney Mart came to be. Coy, Tim Coons and Kevin Surrell were all there with me. We shared many great times that will always stay with me. Kevin is gone and Coy is gone. I still have the photo of the day Joan flew in at sun-n-fun. I won't share the secrets I know of them but that was his soon to be new wife. I helped Coy get started with Mooney Mart and helped move him in that hangar. Even that was a battle with some people. I have stories that would get us both in trouble back then, but I will take those stories to my grave. Coy and I were in touch a few times prior to his passing. I can say, he never changed his way of thinking. I still talk to his daughter. He is missed and loved!

Peace!

if at all possible...

He has STCs that people still would like to use...

Around here, we have people that support old STCs...

Not enough to make a living out of, but if the family wanted to have their STCs kept active... make a few dollars, and help out current Mooney owners...

That would be an interesting opportunity...

Best regards,

-a-