- Legacy Giving Stories
Distributions from the Helen Sherman and Felton McCoy Memorial Fund assist victims of emotional, physical or sexual abuse, thereby perpetuating the legacy of caring of Helen Sherman and Felton McCoy, who sheltered and protected victims of domestic abuse.
Cathy Blair created her named continuity fund at JFCS in loving tribute to her remarkable parents.
Felton William McCoy was born in 1917 on a farm in Farwell, Texas. Felton was 13 when his mother died giving birth to her seventh child. Sadly, Felton’s father lost his mechanical harvesting business in the Great Depression, and the family moved from the Dust Bowl to Arizona in search of work. Felton and his two sisters found jobs there, but their father took the three younger boys and left in the middle of the night without a word. It was 50 years before Felton saw his father again.
In Arizona, Felton apprenticed with the man who was to become his father-in-law. Invited to dinner with the family on several occasions, he quickly became acquainted with Helen Sherman. Both attended Arizona State University, where their relationship deepened. On the eve of World War II, at Mr. Sherman’s recommendation, Felton became a ship-fitting supervisor at the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond, California, helping to turn out a ship a day for the war effort.
In July 1941, Helen Sherman’s parents and sister were tragically killed when a train struck their car. Felton McCoy served as a pallbearer at their funeral, and he and Helen married less than a year later.
Cathy lovingly remembers her mother as one who encouraged and prized creativity. She taught her to sew, drove her to piano lessons, attended her recitals, and shared her enthusiasm for flowers and nature. After her family, Helen’s great passion was teaching. Once her children were grown, she obtained a California credential and went to work as a third-grade teacher in an inner-city school. Helen felt that she made a significant difference in the life of at least one student each year. She was so exceptional that she served as a model teacher for the Richmond School District.
Cathy is also filled with admiration for her father, who supported his family as a hard-working real estate broker and developer in the Bay Area. When Cathy was very young, Felton purchased a cabin in California’s Cascade Mountains. It was very rustic, with an outdoor shower and only a fireplace for heat, but the family delighted in spending time together there over many years. Later in life, Felton and Helen retired to McKenzie Bridge, Oregon, 50 miles from the closest city. He built their home on the banks of the river, where they lived until Helen’s health required them to move to a care facility.
Although they are both gone now, Cathy has a wealth of wonderful memories. “My parents were always helping those in need in a variety of ways,” she recalls. They sheltered and protected victims of domestic abuse on a number of occasions. Cathy recalls, “When they were 84, a young woman who lived down the road came to them for help. She was being abused and was very afraid. My parents took her into their home at great risk to their own safety. Sure enough, the abuser came to their door, twice, demanding to speak to the young woman. Even at 84, my father was a tall and imposing man. He stood in the doorway and denied the abuser entry. After a week, the young woman was able to make arrangements with a friend to take her out of state.”
Cathy relates, “I will always treasure my mother for teaching me the meaning and the ethic of tzedakah. She was always giving money to help the poor.” Cathy also cherishes the many ways in which her father, although not Jewish, taught her the true meaning of gemilut hasadim. Throughout the years, Felton gained a reputation for helping others—even those he barely knew—through his words of encouragement and kindness. “He was the one you wanted to call when you were down.” Just four days before he died at 90, Cathy overheard him telling his dental hygienist, “That was the best cleaning I’ve ever had. You were so gentle. And on top of that, you are a really nice person. I’m so glad to have met you.”
It is little wonder that Cathy takes such great pleasure in knowing that her parents’ names and values will live on always through the Helen Sherman and Felton McCoy Memorial Endowment Fund at Jewish Family and Children’s Services.
If you would like to start a Named Endowment Fund at JFCS, please contact [email protected] or 415-449-3858.