Terry “TJ” Joe McCoy, a longtime Shoshone County native who spent his career with Union Pacific Railroad, passed away on July 8, 2026. He was 86.
McCoy was born August 8, 1939, in Kellogg, Idaho, to William and Sarah McCoy. After graduating from the Silver Valley area, he built a career with Union Pacific Railroad, working in transportation and rail operations before retiring in 2003 after more than three decades of service.
In his later years, McCoy relocated to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, where he remained active in his community. During his final two months, he received care at Mt. Carmel Community.
He is survived by his sister, Dawn Flanary of Hot Springs Village; niece Tracy Pippins of Graham, Texas; and nephew Ron Flanary of Miami, Florida. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Sarah McCoy, and his brother, Ronnie McCoy.
The family has requested that memorials be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association in McCoy’s name.
McCoy’s passing marks the end of a chapter in the history of Kellogg’s railroad heritage, a legacy that shaped much of the Silver Valley’s industrial economy throughout the 20th century.