Cathy Lee McCoy

Cathy Lee McCoy, born December 4, 1950, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Harvey McCoy and Naomi (Tollefson) McCoy, was called home by the light of the full moon on September 7, 2025, at the age of 74.

Cathy had a deep love for reading, music, art, the outdoors, and what she affectionately referred to as “cussin’ and discussion.” She nurtured a lifelong appreciation for plants and found her peace in nature. She cherished all of God’s creatures, but it was the horse that held her heart—connected by a deep understanding between kindred souls.

Like wild and untamed horses, Cathy carried both grace and fire. She moved through life with a quiet defiance, hooves drumming against the fences of the status quo, refusing to be stabled by expectation or silenced by sorrow. She was beautiful. She loved to dance. Her laugh was infectious—impossible to forget once you heard it—and her sense of wonder remained intact despite life’s many challenges. Passionate, philosophical, and curious, Cathy often pondered the bigger questions in life and held strong hope for a better world, even if she didn’t get to experience it firsthand.

Cathy carried the weight of adulthood too early in life, navigating great challenges without the guidance she truly deserved. Along the way, she had to learn many lessons—some painful, some humbling—but always with a heart that beat, above all else, for her family. Quiet, sometimes complicated—Cathy’s love for her children was perhaps the most enduring truth of her life. She will be dearly missed.

Cathy is survived by her children: Majyk Michael Bronn Solo Johnson (Wendy), Tanya Lee Myers (John), and Keely Agler-Hanson (Rob), as well as another daughter, Sonia. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Ellen (Eli), Joseph, Brittney, Nicholas, Keldan, Kayla, and Hailey; and her great-grandson, Corbin and her sister, Lorrie Leighton-Boster. She is survived by many family members throughout the Flathead Valley and beyond. 

She was preceded in death by her son, Joseph Arlint, her sister Lynn, both of her brothers, Ronald Erickson and Stacey McCoy; and her parents, Harvey McCoy and Naomi Erickson.

A memorial service will be held on a future date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter of Bozeman, Montana.

“The bottom line is, people are never perfect, but love can be.”— Tom Robbins