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An Engineered Gift
Family of alumnus
affectionately known as "Mr. Square Root" gives back
Courtesy of
University Communications
Charles Coy was a stereotypical engineer, from the slide rule in his pocket to
the passion in his heart.
“He was the mold of a typical engineer: Slide rule, pocket protector, and thick
black framed glasses similar, to the ones that the military issues out,”
recalls Ester Coy of her husband, a UTEP graduate who became a successful
engineer. He passed away in November 2006 at 64.
“His friends sometimes jokingly called him ‘Mr. Square Root,’” she says.
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"It was a great way to pay back
his alma mater for the high-quality
education he received, which ultimately
lead to a very successful career."
--Richard Garret Coy about
an endowment
established in honor of his father, Charles Coy
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Charles Coy
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A graduate of Burges High School in El Paso,
Coy enrolled at Texas
Western University
(now UTEP) in 1962 to become an electrical engineer after serving in the U.S.
Navy as an Electronics Technician Communications 3rd Class.
“Because of this experience with electronics and the desire to build or repair
anything electrical or mechanical in nature, electrical engineering logically
seemed like a good major to further increase his knowledge in the field,” says
Coy’s son, Richard Garrett Coy.
Richard says his father loved his alma mater because of the opportunities it
provided him. But his affection for UTEP was also more personal: It was there
that he met his wife. His children, Richard and Eric Steven Coy, also received
their degrees from UTEP.
Ester says she still remembers the day she met her husband at “The Sub,” now
the Union Building.
“When we first met he was rather thin and wore clothes that were worn out at
both the knees and elbows. However, under all that, he was still very handsome
and charming.”
In honor of his memory and his love of engineering, his family and the
University have established the Charles I. Coy Excellence Endowment for
Electrical Engineering.
The endowment will be used by the Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering to improve the academic skills of students pursuing degrees in
electrical and computer engineering, with a preference for electrical
engineering.
“I believe that my father intended to give back to the university,” says
Richard, who received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UTEP in 1999 and
2005, respectively. “We think it was a great way to pay back his alma mater for
the high-quality education he received, which ultimately lead to a very
successful career.”
After graduating from UTEP, Coy served at White Sands
Missile Range
in the Office of Missile Electronics Warfare, where he worked on various
anti-aircraft systems, including the HAWK, M247 Sgt. York and the Patriot
missile.
In 1974, he earned master’s degree in electrical engineering from New Mexico State University
and took a job at the Radar Target Scattering Facility at Holloman Air Force
Base. In 1982, he earned a professional engineering license for the State of Texas and accepted a job at the Air Defense Artillery
Test Directorate at Fort
Bliss.
Coy also participated as a member or officer in various professional organizations,
including the Association of Old Crows, Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers and Texas Society of Professional Engineers.
He retired in 1993 to spend more time with his family and work on his other
interests, which included New Mexico
real estate development, stock market investments and city politics.
“We will always treasure the fond memories of activities we engaged in with our
father,” Richard says. “I think that he would like to see UTEP continue to
excel and be among one of the leading academic institutions for engineering,
math and science throughout the state as well as the nation.”
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