John J. McCormack

John Joseph McCormack

April 18, 1922 – June 3, 2015

Born in Brooklyn during the depression, one of nine children of Margaret and Joseph McCormack, John’s early years were full of laughter, song, academics and the church. He became an altar server for St John’s Parish and a scholarship winner at St. John’s Elementary, which enabled him to attend and graduate from St. John's Preparatory School. After working as a draftsman he trained as an engineer in the Army briefly at Clarkson College before being sent overseas with the 75th Infantry Division that fought at the Battle of the Bulge in WW II. After the war, he went on to earn his Engineering Degree at Brooklyn Polytechnic at night, while working full time and starting a family, and he had a successful 40-year career as a civil engineer at NY Telephone.

He shared 63 married years with his wife Eileen and together they raised six children and 10 grand children with fun, laughter and care. They shared countless family graduations, communions, christenings and backyard parties with his own children and his 45 neices and nephews, many of whom he developed a special bond. After retirement John and Eileen travelled around the country and the world by car, bus, plane and boat as “guests of the world,” traveling with or visiting friends and family along the way.

John was the ever-doting father to six children and their spouses: Eileen and John Francis (Pearl River, NY), Meg and Steve Singer (Norfolk, MA), John J. McCormack Jr. (Mahwah, NJ), Michael McCormack (Congers, NY), Tim and Maria McCormack (Tappan, NY), and Kevin and Patti McCormack (Orangeburg, NY). And he was the fun-loving chaperone for ten grandchildren: Mary Kate, Sean, and Neil Francis; Sydney, Tim, Sarah and Mei Singer; and Teigue, Ingrid and Clare McCormack.

He was a longtime volunteer for many Long Island charities, including the Village of New Hyde Park, the parish of Notre Dame where he was a Eucharistic minister for many years, Westbury Gardens, Long Island Recovery and the Long Island Athletic Club. With boundless energy, he was also the one to visit the sick, take care of a friend in need, and keep in touch with everyone by letter and phone. He enjoyed his game of golf, researching his family’s history, growing roses and dahlias in the backyard, and taking tens of thousands of photographs and movies.

He joins his pre-deceased brothers and sisters and their spouses in heaven: Frank and Loretta, Helen and Walter, Joseph and Margaret, Rose, Vincent and Anne, Eugene and Joan. He had a special place in his heart for one brother who only lived an hour of life, James.

He will be missed by his brother Edward McCormack and his wife Alicia as well as surviving in laws Kathy McCormack and Herman Vahjen.

He was a loving, motivated and thoughtful husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend and supporter to us all. He lived all of his 93 years with a staunch work ethic, pride in his Irish heritage, care for others and faith in God. In a world of ego, he was a modest and kind man who would befriend every soul he met along the way.

Please join us to celebrate his remarkable and wonderful life.

Visiting hours Thursday 7 to 9, Friday 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 at Stutzman Funeral Home, Hillside Avenue, New Hyde Park. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Notre Dame Catholic Church in New Hyde Park on Saturday June 6 at 9:15 with burial at Gethsemane Cemetery in Congers New York. Luncheon at Ricks Club American in Congers to follow.

http://www.dignitymemorial.com/r-stutzmann-son-new-hyde-park/en-us/index.page

http://ricksclubamerican.com/

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the John J. McCormack Scholarship Fund at St. John's Preperatory School by contacting Maralyn Wilhelm 718.721.7200 ext. 686 or St. John's Prep 2121 Crescent St. Astoria, NY 11105.