Obituary of Claire E. McCoy

Claire Estelle McCoy was born in 1960 in Mineola NY and grew up in the Herricks district of New Hyde Park, attended elementary school at Wickshire school and later high school at Herricks graduating in 1978. 

Growing up with two brothers (one younger, one just two years older) and an older sister.they enjoyed all the local outdoor activities that most kids do, riding bikes and building lincoln log cabins. Her mother Loretta introduced the family to vintage movies from the 40s and 50s, Irish and German music, renovating vintage furniture, thrift shopping and gardening.  Her dad Bernard invested in a beach club membership and took the kids there at every opportunity in the summer months, played ball and taught them about the importance of car self maintenance. As a teen/ young adult Caire’s love for rock music bloomed and she attended many live shows including her favorites Genesis and Yes. Her favorite destinations were Old Orchard Beach in Maine and Saratoga in upstate New York. She was least excited when her mother and brothers would repeat play Gilbert OSullivans “Clair” singing along at every opportunity. 

Claire started her professional career in market research at Long Island upstart the NPD group in the 1980s where she met her would be husband John Caldwell. NPD later merged into an international survey and marketing firm as part of Ipsos in the 90s where Claire managed multiple project teams.  She took a career change in the 2000s with an opportunity to use her management and project skills to help people and companies recover from natural disasters. At the federal emergency management agency (FEMA) in their NYC headquarters at the Freedom Tower, Claire set to high profile recovery projects including Hurricane Sandy in the tristate area and left family and friends to deploy to St. Croix after the devastation of Hurricane Maria. 

Claires happiest moments were her wedding to John, the birth to her son Sean, spending time at any beach setting with the ocean  in her view and the sand at her feet.  She enjoyed the soothing sounds of the waves and breeze in her hair. 

At home she had a passion for tending to the flower and vegetable gardens and reaping the rewards with fresh fruit and vegetables at the dinner table.  Like her mother, she had a soft spot for yard birds and animals with feeders close to her windows.  She enjoyed time with their dogs Reggie and Barnaby.  She lived with and cared for her mother Loretta during her final years.

Survived by

Husband John Caldwell (63)

Son Sean Caldwell (30)

Sister Maureen Dacimo (70) and niece Kate Dacimo (34)

Brother Joe McCoy (66) and niece Julia McCoy (26) and nephew Colin McCoy (31)

Brother Chris McCoy (57)

To family and friends Claire was best described as fun loving, kind and an optimist especially for the good in people. Like her parents, she loved comedy in entertainment and daily life always taking time to tell or enjoy a joke. She was eternally compassionate and sympathetic to others struggles and promoted a sense of well being and happiness at every turn.

Died peacefully at hospice at home surrounded by her son and husband in the early morning hours of Friday July 19th.