Timothy Jack Coy

His earliest years were spent in Morrison, Colorado. Later, his mother married Nelson Coy who then adopted him. They ended up moving to Evergreen, Colorado and lived on a small ranch. He learned how to ride and care for horses, cultivate the land and developed carpentry skills.

His mother eventually gave birth to his sweet baby sister Angela and rambunctious little brother Gene. He loved being their big brother and enjoyed playing with them.

He attended Evergreen High School where he participated in sports. He played basketball, football and ran cross country. In addition to being an avid athlete, he was also a member of the Art Club, the E Club and the Key Club. He was quite popular, especially with the ladies. His friendly demeanor and outgoing personality led to many friendships. He Graduated in 1963 and decided to further pursue his interests in the arts. He was promptly accepted into the Art Institute of Chicago. Though it was very difficult for him to leave his mother and siblings, he knew this was a remarkable opportunity.

It was a whole new world living in Chicago. Coming from a small mountain town in Colorado, he wasn’t quite sure how to adjust to big city living, a sort of fish out of water. Being exposed to museums and galleries, featuring the world’s greats, he was able to expand his mind and creative interests. He had always been an artist and a poet, but really honed his skills in college. He was particularly drawn to the freedom he found in abstraction. He began working more with vibrant color, mono printing, collage and sculpture. These were the years he evolved into the free spirit he would remain for the balance of his life.

He jumped a train car and headed for the West Coast, ending up in San Francisco. He was drawn to the counterculture and anti-Vietnam War movement after being drafted. He was a proud conscientious objector, never believing in the merits of the Vietnam “conflict”. He fully immersed himself in the Haight Ashbury culture. He attended all the epic shows and met the most talented and creative souls living in the Bay Area. He delved deeply into the drug scene and particularly enjoyed psychedelics. He became friends with some of the most famous musicians and was the road manager for Quicksilver Messenger Service.

He met my mother on the streets and they eventually moved to Gate 5 in Sausalito. They lived on houseboats and were neighbors with Shel Silverstein. He was a primary builder on a still famous houseboat affectionately named “The Owl”. He and my mother had my brother, Timon in 1970. When my mother was pregnant with me, they moved to Denver, Colorado to be closer to his family. I was born in 1972 and we lived in Denver until I was 3 years old, at which time we moved back to the Bay Area. We remained in the Bay Area, bouncing from town to town. For most of these years he worked as a professional silk screen artist in Berkley. Nearly every weekend he would drive us to the beach for picnics, fishing, rock hounding and seashell hunting.

His precious mother passed away from breast cancer in 1979 at the young age of 55. She was everything to him and he carried with him a profound sadness as result.

He was a deeply feeling man. He felt like an outsider in the world because his interests were more ethereal than material. He wrote about these thoughts often.

He studied karate for a few years and continued to be a daily runner. It was very inspiring to see.

In 1985 we moved to the Skokomish Indian Reservation north of Shelton, Washington. We lived on family property that had belonged to my Great Grandparents on my Mother’s side. He obtained work in Olympia, continuing his passion as a silk screen artist. He would take me on long walks in the forest, where he taught me how to collect edible mushrooms. We visited nearby lakes and rivers often.

Throughout his life, he was a consummate gambler. He was a skilled pool shark card player, preferring Blackjack and Poker, but would also play Keno. Most of our family vacations were centered around gambling towns. He would take us fishing, camping and sledding during the day and hit the casinos at night. It was not unusual for him to spend 24 hours at a single card table, always dreaming of hitting it big. He was ever the dreamer.

In addition to his affinity for gambling, he was a lifelong animal lover, especially his doggos. He was never without a beloved companion. There was Blackjack, Sockeye, Badger, Ladybug, Tu Tuff, Casey and Marley to name a few. He was quite the animal whisperer. I don’t think he ever met a dog he didn’t like, or who didn’t like him. It was a regular occurrence for him to rescue endangered critters. He brought home a tiny kitten whose mother dropped her in the roadway. He found a neighborhood cat who was still nursing and introduced this baby to her. She accepted the kitten and nursed her to health. Even though he wasn’t a “cat person” we ended up keeping her. He named her Shortcake. He rescued a young woodpecker, tucked it in his shirt and drove home. The little woodpecker pecked his chest until it bled. He took care of it until it was strong enough to release. Later he rescued an injured eagle. It had a broken wing and had no chance of survival if he left it. He found a sanctuary that took it in and nursed it back to health and agreed to keep it.

His calm sweet spirit also worked magic with babies. He could take any crying baby and sooth it to sleep.

When I was just short of turning 19. I gave birth to his first Grandbaby, Sierra Estrella. He was thrilled. He even drove me home from the hospital. From the moment he first held her he was over the moon.

Shortly thereafter, he and my mother decided to divorce, remaining largely on good terms.

In a very short period, we welcomed his second Grandbaby, Jay Timothy and a year later his third Grandbaby, Darren Dwayne. He had the best time holding and playing with his 3 Grandchildren. He loved them dearly and was a consistent presence in their lives.

He started his own sign making business which he successfully operated for a few years. After closing his business, he decided to try his hand at becoming a poker dealer. He worked at the Lucky Eagle Casino for a few years, but then chose to go back to school. He attended Highline Community College where he focused on creative writing and poetry. He enjoyed his time there. He spent a couple of years marketing and traveling, then became a merchandiser. He then returned to sign making, the field he was most familiar with.

Over the next few years his son’s family gave him 4 more Grandchildren, Shelby, Robert, Adelynne and Caleb. He loved them very much as well.

His greatest pleasures were to write, create artwork, play his guitar, and spend time with his family and dogs. He loved going to the beach, gardening, communing with nature, collecting rocks and feathers. He loved listening to music, hanging out with his little brother, Geno, and always looked forward to his baby sister, Angie, visiting from Colorado.

Sierra ended up marrying her high school sweetheart, Konrad, and they gave him his Great Grandchildren, Jeramiah, Laila and Ivy. They were the joy of his life.

He ended up developing health problems and moved in with us. He lived with us full-time for 11 years. His health conditions and drinking habit progressed until he was diagnosed with Wernicke-Korsakoff, which is effectively alcohol induced dementia. It was heartbreaking to witness his decline. Especially since he is best known for being an incredible and prolific storyteller. He had the best stories of his wild experiences and perspectives on life. Thankfully he was an amazing writer, so we are blessed to have his poems and writings to cherish.

He was a fighter until the very end, crossing over on August 19, 2023.

He is survived by Lisa & Dwayne Hall, Sierra, Konrad, Jeramiah, Laila & Ivy Johnston, Jay Hall, Darren Hall, Angie Neve, Justin, Brandy, Aiden, Lyla Neve, Jake Neve, Timon, Lynnette, Shelby, Robert, Adelynn & Caleb Coy.