Radley Gene McCord (Rad) 3/24/1948 - 4/22/2023 | Gold Mountain California News

Radley Gene McCord (Rad) Rad died happy in the full stream of life. Doing what he loved most, being outdoors and riding his bike, he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and bike crash on April 12. Ten days later, this lover of nature died on Earth Day, April 22, 2023, in Sutter Roseville ICU. He is survived by his loving family: wife Pat Dusterhoft, daughters Shannon McCord, Danielle McCord, son-in-law Darren Padgett, brother Galen McCord and wife Sherrill Douglass, first wife Nancy Rowland (Randy), cousin Amy Barber (Jamie) children Evie and Walker, cousin Aaron Atkins (Nina) son Aksel, cousin Barbara Mercer son David Mercer. Rad was born March 24, 1948 to Annabell and Glen McCord in Sacramento. He graduated from Placer High in 1967 where he played tennis and basketball. He attended Sierra College where he competed on the ski team and earned a scholarship for skiing at the College of Idaho. He also attended Fresno State and earned a teaching credential at Sacramento State. He began teaching and coaching at Placer High School in 1974, creating a legendary coaching career during which his tennis teams won 19 league titles and 10 Section championships in Division I and II. His ski teams won 11 league crowns and 11 state championships (6 boys, 3 girls, and 2 combined), as well as three individual state champions, including his daughter Danielle. He inspired many of his racers who are now coaching and others who excelled at the Olympic level and at extreme skiing. He shared a special chemistry with his fellow coaches and athletes that was energetic, infectious, inspirational, and magical mixed with all-encompassing fun. Along with fellow ski coach Toby Covich, he developed an animal communication fitting of the environment they were in. The Raven call, known and used by the ski team over many years, distinguished Placer racers on the mountain. It was used as a beacon, a location device to connect the team in an exuberant song of joy. Known variously by his athletes as the crazy uncle, the experienced tennis and ski guru, and a trusted life mentor, Rad was named Boys Tennis coach of the Year by the California Coaches Association in 2002 and was inducted into the Placer High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. "Rad Dad" to his daughters Shannon and Danielle, he was kind and playful, hardworking and generous. He taught them to ski at the ripe age of three. Being in the mountains on a powder day with him will always be one of their happiest memories. They learned from him long ago to pause and listen while deep in the woods, on a mountain top, or by a stream. They have lost their biggest fan, their cheerleader of unconditional love. Rad's retirement years were an adventure. After being a bachelor for two decades, he met and married his sweetie Pat. They spent summers in Bozeman, Montana, mountain biking and fly fishing, and then returned in winter to ski Big Sky Montana. They trekked in Nepal, biked in Croatia, and in their 70s completed the Tour du Mont Blanc. They especially enjoyed two weeks in the Luberon region of southern France, visiting Roman ruins and getting lost on their bikes in the French countryside. His love of Nature was vast. In nature he felt truly alive, always protecting open spaces for future generations to enjoy. His God was Nature. His church was the top of a mountain with his family, not in a room listening to a preacher. Rad was an advocate for the people, protecting those who were less fortunate and giving back to his community in a big way. It was about being a team on this earth, living together as a community. His legacy lives on in the form of the Placer High School Athletic Hall of Fame, an institution he created that honors and enshrines PHS athletes, teams, coaches, staff, and community members for their excellence and extraordinary contributions to PHS athletics. His vision recognizes activities that promote sportsmanship, athletic achievement, and character building at the school. Since its 2015 inception, 67 athletes, coaches, teams, and contributors have been inducted. A celebration of life will be held in the fall. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to placerathletichalloffame,org or mailed to Placer Athletic Hall of Fame, 1191 Auburn Ravine Road, Auburn, CA 95603. Be sure to include "Honoring Radley McCord's legacy."