06/18/2026
Damaris Alida McCoy was born in the Bronx, New York, NY, to Bernard and Virginia McCoy (nee Owens) on March, 3 1953.
Growing up in the Bronx, Damaris was raised by a large and loving family and spent her early years learning dance in Harlem and attending church. She was especially close to her grandmother Ruth, who helped shape the woman she would become. Surrounded by brothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins, she grew up rooted in family, community, and faith, and she carried those values with her throughout her life.
The lessons she learned from her grandmother and aunts became the foundation of her own approach to motherhood. Determined to provide the same love, guidance, and stability she had received, Damaris made the extraordinary decision to raise her younger sister alongside her three daughters in the Bronx. While balancing the demands of raising four children, she pursued higher education and earned her degree from Touro College, a testament to the perseverance, discipline, and determination that defined her life.
In 1990, Damaris began her career with Cablevision of New York. Over the next 25 years, she distinguished herself as a respected leader in customer service, earning numerous awards and accolades for her professionalism, work ethic, and commitment to excellence. She retired from Cablevision, now Optimum, having built a remarkable career.
Affectionately known as "Dee Dee," Damaris was a devoted mother, grandmother, artist, writer, advocate, and lifelong student of life. She loved traveling with her children and grandchildren, dancing, and listening to music of every kind. Family and friends often marveled at her ability to identify not only the artist but the year a song was released within moments of hearing it.
A quiet storm, Damaris possessed a strength that did not need to announce itself. She was thoughtful yet fearless, compassionate yet unwavering in her convictions. She admired her father and often traveled with him to Aruba and Virginia Beach, and traveled with her children and grandchildren throughout the US, Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean. She loved long walks through the Botanical Gardens and Central Park, immersed herself in New York City's rich cultural and musical life, and participated in the Civil Rights Movement from a young age, carrying a lifelong commitment to pride in her culture.
That commitment extended into every aspect of her life. She volunteered at her children's schools, served in tenant and parent associations, and was a fierce advocate for civic engagement. Voting was not simply a right to her; it was a responsibility. She often brought her young children with her to the polls, determined that they understand the importance of making their voices heard.
A woman of deep faith and extraordinary resilience, Damaris measured success not by titles or awards, but by the lives she touched and the family she nurtured. She often referred to her children as her "masterpieces," and nothing made her prouder than watching them earn advanced degrees, build successful careers, and raise families of their own. Through her example, she taught them that education matters, service matters, faith matters, and family matters. After retirement, she moved to Maryland, then Monroe, NY, to spend time with her family, devoted caregivers, and daughters.
Damaris was preceded in death by her parents, Bernard, Virginia, and Rosalind, siblings Kimon, Steve, Doreen, and beloved daughter Nadjawa. Left to cherish her memory are her brother Earl, children Alita McCoy, Chatice Yarborough (Sean), sisters Monique, Danielle, Leslie, five grandchildren Taylor, Sydney, Lauren, Julian, Justin, great granddaughter Sadie, nieces Kanika, Dawana, nephew Joseph, cherished cousins, and a host of family and friends.
A Life Celebration will be held on Friday, June 19, 2026, from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. at Flynn Funeral & Cremation Memorial Centers, 139 Stage Road, Monroe, NY 10950.
Final Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to Brendan T. Flynn, Thomas F. Flynn, and Megan Morales, Directors and Certified Cremation Specialists of Flynn Funeral & Cremation Memorial Centers, Inc.
