Obituary: Dick McCoy, 63, of Orme Do it Best Hardware

Hardware retailer Richard “Dick” McCoy, 63, of Cambridge, Ohio, passed away March 11 at the Cleveland Clinic after a year-long battle with a respiratory illness.

McCoy was a well-known and highly respected second-generation hardware store owner, with seven locations throughout Southeastern Ohio. Orme Do it Best Hardware traces its roots to its founding in 1869 and has been a member of Do it Best Corp. since 1963. At the time of his passing, McCoy was president of Orme Hardware and had recently been elected to the Do it Best co-op’s board of directors. 

“Dick’s passing brings a great deal of sadness for all of us,” said Jim Lehrer, chairman of the Do it Best Corp. board. “I immediately thought about what a loss this is for our industry, for his community and his stores, and most of all, for his family. His optimistic spirit and his business model of taking underperforming stores and making them great again is a testament to how our independent retailers can thrive in today's competitive marketplace.”

McCoy began his career in the hardware business working in his dad’s store when he was in the fifth grade. He earned a Rayovac Sportsman lantern for all the hours he worked in his first summer. He went on to attend Urbana University, where he played on the varsity golf team and earned his degree in business administration in 1975. He maintained his connection to his alma mater through the years and in March 2015, he was elected to the school’s Board of Trustees.

He and his father purchased their second store location in 1967.

“We’ve made a name for ourselves by purchasing worn-out, unprofitable stores and partnering with our co-op to remodel and remerchandise them,” he once said.

“Dick was a great man,” said Do it Best Corp. president and CEO Dan Starr. “He was caring, kind and a true professional, as well as an outstanding independent retailer. Above all, he was a man of great integrity. He and his wife Karen were a wonderful and formidable team.”

McCoy is survived by his wife of 26 years, Karen, children Brandon (Heather), Cameron (Alyson) and Emily, father Jack, sister Beth (Mark) Wharton and brothers Mark (Susi) McCoy and Sam (Linda) McCoy, granddaughter Ruby and many nieces and nephews.

“Aside from being an astute business person and setting a great example for others, Dick was one of the kindest individuals I’ve ever met,” noted Do it Best Corp. president emeritus Bob Taylor. “I’m proud to have called him a friend. I can still remember quite clearly how happy he was when he shared that his son, Brandon, had told him that he was interested in coming back and joining him in the business.”