Dennis McCoy, Baltimore City delegate, lobbyist, consensus builder, dies at 84

Dennis C. McCoy, who served in the House of Delegates for a dozen years and was a lifelong civic leader in Baltimore City, died of blood cancer and other illnesses at the Baltimore Washington Medical Center on Oct. 31. He was 84.

McCoy represented a district in Northeast Baltimore City from 1975 to 1987, a time of great change in the city. But he also had significant careers in law, lobbying and business.

“When I think of Denny, I always think of the smile on his face,” former U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D) recalled. “He was such a nice guy. He was serious about his work, but he always enjoyed being around people.”

Born May 26, 1942, McCoy spent his early years on a small farm in White Marsh but lived most of his life in the Mayfield neighborhood of Northeast Baltimore after his marriage to the former Carolyn Manieri in 1963.

He graduated from Calvert Hall High School in 1960 and earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Maryland in 1965. He earned a law degree from the Mount Vernon School of Law – now the University of Baltimore – in 1968 and in 1973, he obtained an MBA in finance from Loyola University.

To support his family while studying for his law degree, McCoy worked as a Parole and Probation officer for the state and for a shipbuilding and drydock company.

After law school, he worked for the Hooper, Keifer and Cornell on Charles Street, and eventually started his own practice, Polovoy, McCoy and Vincent – later known as Polovoy & McCoy. He spent six years as an appointed commissioner on the state’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, from 1969-75.

McCoy was always active in civic affairs, and at age 32, he was elected to a House seat representing Northeast Baltimore’s 44th District in 1974.

In Annapolis, McCoy was assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee where Cardin — who chaired the committee at the time — said McCoy thrust himself into battles over education funding, seeking to preserve state funding for Baltimore public schools and other initiatives as the city’s population was declining.

McCoy would go on to spend seven years as chair of the Baltimore City House delegation, at a time when the city power was waning in the State House. Former Del. Tim Maloney (D-Prince George’s) called McCoy “a leader in state support for the city, including the Inner Harbor redevelopment and aid to education,” who used his position on Ways and Means to advocate for the city.

“The Baltimore City delegation could be a fractious group, and Denny had an excellent way of building consensus, easing tensions, and creating unity from very diverse sections of the city,” Maloney said.

Former colleagues said McCoy helped smooth relations between political factions and served as an ambassador to other neighborhoods as Baltimore’s legislative districts were forced to consolidate as the city population shrank.

“The tensions pretty much dissipated” thanks to McCoy’s work, said former Del. Maggie McIntosh (D-Baltimore City), who went on to become House majority leader and chair of two House committees. While McCoy was “rooted in his community,” she said he had an ability to see and understand what was happening politically in surrounding areas.

After leaving the legislature in 1987, McCoy set up a lobbying practice, Government Affairs-Maryland Inc., and became one of the top-earning lobbyists in Annapolis. He helped win the repeal of many of Maryland’s blue laws and was passionate about representing the Maryland Horsebreeder’s Association, which he believed was an important part of the culture, tradition and history of Maryland.

McCoy’s daughter, Kimberly McCoy Burns, also an attorney, joined his firm and lobbied alongside him in Annapolis for 25 years. “My Dad definitely left the world — or at least Maryland — better than when he found it for so many,” she said. “He was a compassionate leader, a fierce advocate, and a wonderful father.”

McIntosh described McCoy as notably even-keeled throughout his career as a lawmaker and lobbyist.

“When he approached you as a delegate, he was thoughtful, he listened, he solicited your ideas. He was never flamboyant or robust or over the top,” she said. “As a lobbyist, he came in the same way. He was never flamboyant or over the top.”

McCoy later served for three years as CEO of Mars Super Markets Inc. He retired from practicing law and lobbying in 2016.

McCoy’s wife of 47 years, Carolyn, died in 2010.

In addition to his daughter, McCoy is survived by a son, Dr. Dennis C. McCoy Jr., son-in-law Michael W. Burns, three grandchildren, his brother Timothy and sister Pam, and his companion, Elizabeth Smith Anderson, several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Barranco Severna Park Funeral Home and Cremation Care in Severna Park. A memorial mass will be celebrated on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of the Fields Roman Catholic Church in Millersville.