Family History
Family foundations are formed, in part, to honor and continue the legacy of its founders. Often the history and experiences of the founders influence the charitable grants made by the foundation with the hopes that these causes continue to benefit from the generosity of the founders after they are gone, and that their children and grandchildren have opportunities to give and serve through the foundation. This was the hope of Glenn and Janice McCoy when they created the family foundation in 2015. For years the McCoys supported various charities, churches, and world missions that intersected with their lives. Their brief family history shared below provides insights into the many causes that they continue to support today through the Glenn and Janice McCoy Family Foundation.
Glenn McCoy was born on January 2, 1936 in Wesley, Arkansas in a two-room house in the Ozark Mountains. In 1940, his family moved to Fullerton, California to find work. When Glenn was nine, he began having trouble seeing out of his right eye, and when he was 12 he started losing sight in his left eye. Glenn was admitted to the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, where the doctor told him he had to lay still and sand bags were placed on both sides of his face to keep him from moving to prepare the retinas for surgery. Glenn was worried about the cost of his medical care, and his family was relieved when family, friends, and community groups like the Lion’s Club paid for the multiple surgeries that ultimately saved his sight in one eye after almost a year of care.
During his confinement, Glenn thought deeply about his faith and decided to be baptized. He was excited to attend church again at the Church of Christ in Fullerton, and on August 14, 1949, he was baptized at the age of 13. During high school, Glenn began making talks at church. His first full-length sermon was on the subject of “Religious Unity.” Along with preaching, Glenn enjoyed his youth group and also formed an acapella singing group.
Despite his sight limitations, during high school Glenn was active in service groups, public speaking, and choir, and was elected as the student body president his senior year. After graduating high school, Glenn hoped to attend Abilene Christian College, but could not afford the tuition, so he enrolled in Fullerton Community College and got a job in Fullerton at Ador Corporation which manufactured sliding glass doors.
In 1958, now 22 years-old, Glenn decided to take his vacation time to travel back to his family home in Arkansas. During the visit, Glenn met 18-year-old Janice Tate. She had grown up just 200 yards from his old family home in Wesley. He met Janice on a Saturday, and they both say it was love at first sight. After attending church together on Sunday, two dates on Tuesday and Wednesday, Glenn proposed on Thursday, July 3rd, his final day in Arkansas before returning home. Three weeks later, Janice took a bus to California and they were married a week later.
In his memoir, Glenn wrote a section called, “A Comment About the Short Courtship,” where he reflects:
It was fast, but I can say without the slightest hesitation that I married the right woman. Our love for each other has increased with each passing year. I couldn’t have found a more faithful companion. If I had it to do over again I would only want to marry Janice. She has been a loving wife, a wonderful homemaker, a good friend, and a great mother, and grandmother…. Yes, it was a very fast courtship, but I would not change a thing, and Janice said she would not change a thing either. To have Janice consent to be my wife made me the happiest guy in the world. We were both “smitten” with each other. We had a great deal in common. From the first time that we were together, we felt we belonged together.
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About six weeks after they were married, Glenn and Janice joined several other couples to plant a new church in West Fullerton. Janice worked for a while at Farmers Insurance in Fullerton, until she became pregnant. Their first child, Mitch, was born in 1960, and their second son, Mark, was born in 1962. Glenn and Janice were grateful for the good care received at St. Jude Hospital in Fullerton.
While attending the West Fullerton Church of Christ, one of the couples, Glen and Barbara Marshall, decided to go to Korea and work at the Holt Orphanage located about three hours outside of Seoul. The young adult class helped support them. While working in the home the Marshalls fell in love with Lim Sook Hee, whom they described as a beautiful and outgoing child. She had been left at the Orphanage when she was six months old. She was born in1963. When the Marshalls returned, they told the young adult class about Lim Sook Hee and how they hated to leave her. They shared how sweet and vivacious she was, and Barbara pleaded for someone to adopt the child. Glenn and Janice talked it over and decided to adopt her and named her Michele.
While in the process of adopting Michele, the McCoys also learned about a sweet three-month old named Kim Sun Hie who needed a home. Janice and Glenn read her story and decided to adopt both children. Sun Hie was named Mara. When Glenn and Janice returned home to California from Korea that May, 1965, their family suddenly doubled in size to include Mitch (age 5), Mark (age 2), Michele (age 2), and Mara (age six months).
The McCoys moved to Yorba Linda, California and bought their first home. Several friends also bought homes in the area, and with them Glenn and Janice helped start the Yorba Linda Church of Christ in 1966. Glenn agreed to do the preaching “for a while,” which turned into six years. The McCoys were involved with the Yorba Linda church for over 26 years, during which time the church supported many mission works, including Sammy and Janet Dzamesi and the Volta School of Evangelism in Ghana, Africa. While living in Yorba Linda, the McCoy family was blessed once more with the addition of Mica in 1970, also born at St. Jude Hospital in Fullerton.
After working for the Ador Corporation from 1957 to 1963, Glenn changed jobs to Fleetwood Aluminum Products. The owner had worked for Ador for many years, and chose the name “Fleetwood” because it was the top-of-the-line Cadillac. He wanted to make the best, high-quality products, and offered Glenn a job. Soon after, Glenn was named the General Manager and became a part owner. Over the years, Glenn’s business acumen and interpersonal skills helped make Fleetwood a very successful company and resulted in him becoming the president and sole owner. Through his generosity, many churches, charities, friends, and family have benefited from Fleetwood’s success. In 2015, Glenn and Janice created the McCoy Family Foundation to ensure that their legacy and example of giving continues for generations to come.
See "Our Work" for examples of how the McCoy's family history is connected to the ongoing support from the Glenn and Janice McCoy Family Foundation.