Richard Alfred McCoy

Richard Alfred McCoy, 89, entered into eternal rest, Tuesday, June 11, 2024.  Mr. McCoy was born on October 11, 1934 in Lincoln Park, New Jersey. Mr. McCoy graduated from Cornell College in Iowa in 1959 with BA degree in Political Science and History. He later attended graduate school at Indiana University; completed Advanced Eastern European and Soviet Studies at the Foreign Service Institute, 1973/74 and the National War College in 1984.

Mr. McCoy entered the Department of State in June, 1966. He has served as General Service/Consular Officer in San Jose Costa Rica, from 1966 to 1969; Consular Officer in Tel Aviv, Israel, 1969 to 1971; Consular/Economic/Commercial Officer in Adana, Turkey, from 1971-73; Administrative/Consular Officer from 1974 to 1976 in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. From 1976 to 1978 he served as Consular/Political Officer in Georgetown, Guyana, and then as Country Officer for Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago in the Office of Caribbean Affairs. Mr. McCoy then joined the Bureau of Consular Affairs as Special Assistant of the Assistant Secretary on July 28, 1980, serving until July 1983. Upon completion of the National War College in June 1984, was assigned as Chief, Career Development Division, Consular Service, in the Bureau of Personnel in June 1984 until he retired on February 28, 1986. Mr. McCoy retired in the rank of Counselor in the Senior Foreign Service. He was awarded the Department’s Superior Honor Award in February 1979.

Mr. McCoy was recalled to active duty at the Department of State in July 1990 serving as Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs until December 1994. He was once again brought back on active duty March 17, 1998 to establish the new laser visa program plus consular outreach sites along the South Texas/Mexican border stationed in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico until completion of the initial phase of the program in July 21, 1988. He assisted the Consulate’s Principal Officer in the hiring of the 7 American Visa Specialist chosen for this program. In February, 2001 Mr. McCoy was asked to fill in as Chief, American Services and Law Enforcement Coordinator at the US Consulate in Nuevo Laredo until June 2003. At that time, he was assigned as Acting Principal Officer at the US Consulate General in Cuidad Juarez until September 5, 2003 then returned to serve as the Chief, American Service at the US Consulate in Nuevo Laredo until October 7, 2003.

In addition to his Foreign Service career, Mr. McCoy also has served in the United State Air Force Reserve and the United States Marine Corps. He began his military career by enlisting in the United States Marine Corps on October 21, 1952, and served until August 1956.

He then was commissioned in the United States Air Force Reserve (USAFR) on June 20, 1960, and served on active duty until 20, 1966, as a Special Investigations Officer specializing in Personnel Security and Counterintelligence/Counter Espionage operations.

After his release from active duty, he became a member of the Air Force Active Reserve in 1971, where he served in a part-time capacity until March 1986 as an Air Intelligence Officer and later as a Plans Officer. From March 1986 until July 1990 he was recalled to active duty to serve as the Air Force Reserve Advisor to the President of the National Defense University. During his active and reserve military career, Mr. McCoy received the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Air Force and Defense Department Meritorious Service Medals. He retired in July 20, 1990, with the rank of Colonel.

After his second retirement from the State Department, Mr. McCoy worked as an International consultant from January 1995 to March 1998 with law firms, investment companies and publications in a variety of areas.

He also served as the Coordinator of Prospect Research at Texas A&M International University from October 1999 to February 2001.

From October 20, 2003 until March 23, 2005 Mr. McCoy was employed as a Business Analyst at APPTIS Inc.

Mr. McCoy was then employed from April 6, 2006 to April 30, 2014 as an Immigration Specialist with the Law Office of Norma Nelly Vielma in Laredo, Texas. He interviewed prospective clients seeking assistance in immigration, citizenship, naturalization and passport related issues. He drafted legal opinions, immigrant visa waiver justifications, citizenship and passport opinions. He assisted clients to complete the necessary forms, drafted correspondence related to their cases and maintained client files with the assistance of two assistants.

Mr. McCoy is survived by his loving wife of 26 years of marriage Maria Patricia McCoy. He is preceded in death by his sons, Richard Gunni McCoy and Douglas Christian McCoy.

The family will be receiving condolences on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 in the Angelus Chapel at Fred Dickey Funeral & Cremation Services from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. A rosary will be recited at 7:00 pm. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2024 from the funeral home to San Martin De Porres Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will begin at 9:30 am. Military honors will be provided by the American Legion Post 59 and United States Air Force Honor Guard. Cremation services will be held at a later date.

Funeral arrangements are by Fred Dickey Funeral & Cremation Services, 1320 Trey Dr., Laredo, Texas 78041 (956) 723-3611. For your convenience, you may leave your condolences to the family online at www.freddickey.com