Janet Audine McCoy

Our dear mother, loving wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grandma, great-grandma, friend, teacher - died peacefully in our Poway home with several family members by her side. She will be remembered for her kindness, interest in everyone she met, her love of family, appreciation of every moment and person she was with, awe of her natural surroundings, empathetic to everyone, and her incredible sense of humor. Janet was a model for all of us.Janet was born in Queens, New York on December 31, 1930 to George and Amy (Ballantine) Polley. Janet, her older sister, Joanne Polley and younger brother, George Polley grew up together in Great Neck, New York. Janet attended Oneonta State Teachers College (SUNY Oneonta) and studied to become a teacher. There she met life-long friends at Alpha Sigma Alpha - who continued to stay in touch taking annual "Sorority Sister Trips".Janet met John "Mac" McCoy at a local pizzeria/bar, dated, and were married in April of 1953. Mac was a Naval Officer, he and Janet traveled the world and started a family. They lived in New York, Hawaii, Rhode Island, the Philippines, Imperial Beach, Las Vegas, and then Poway - their home for 60 years. Mac and Janet were married for 42 years until Mac passed in 1995. Janet continued to live in the home they built together in Poway for the rest of her life.Janet had a family of 40 people that adored her, including her brother George (Sharon) Polley, five children: John McCoy, Susie (Don) O'Neill, Dave (Kathy) McCoy, Joanne (Ralph) Wood and Chris (Traci) McCoy, daughter-in-law Rhonda McCoy, 14 grandchildren; AJ (Corinne) McCoy, Katie (Alex) Hamilton, Robbie (Kim) Heath, Aimee McCoy, Sean (Olga) O'Neill, David (Nicole) O'Neill, Ryan (Pati) Heath, Patrick Heath, Andrew (Winston) Wood, Megan (Walker) Blount, Mackenzie McCoy, Jack McCoy, Drew McCoy, Matt McCoy, and the joy of her life her 8 Great-Grandchildren; George and Vera Hamilton, Van and Sunny Heath, Maxine and RJ Heath, Lydia and Lacey McCoy. Janet's family and friends visited with her frequently - in person, via video, phone calls, photos, cards, notes, and sending artwork.Anyone who knew Janet saw her as a loving, kind person and friend - and in many cases a second Mom or second Grandma. Janet's Poway home was a hub for family events: visiting friends, swimming, volleyball, laughter, gardens, tree forts, TV viewing, wedding receptions, birthday parties and nurturing love. Poway was central to the essence of the McCoy family - friends, neighbors, schools, church and Janet's pivotal role and lasting impression as the long-time Director of Poway's Community Nursery School.A memorial service was held earlier this year at St. Gabriel's Catholic Church in January.Donations in Janet's name maybe made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.