John McCormick’s name never made the headlines. He wasn’t a mover and shaker. However, if you ever met John, you would never forget him. McCormick was a man who lived and breathed integrity and possessed an enthusiasm for life. He was a man who was committed to doing and being the best at his job, no matter what that job might be. In the process, he made many friends and provided them a worthy example. Last Friday, our community lost a man, who in his humility, walked head and shoulders above his peers. And when a man of his caliber is lost, he should be mourned.
For the past five years, John has been one of Up & Coming Weekly’s brightest faces in the community. He directed the distribution and delivery of all three of our publications while attending to his own weekly route. He loved it! In addition, he handled a multitude of other important responsibilities at our office. We never had to tell him what to do — he took responsibility for his job and jobs that were not his. He loved being at Up & Coming Weekly, and that love was reciprocated by our entire staff. He will be missed.
In his own quiet, unassuming way, John changed all of us for the better. General Manager Jean Bolton hired John. “John wasn’t my employee he was my friend, I loved him, and I miss him,” she said. “He loved talking about the Lord and he loved teasing me about taking a drink. John often freely gave money to people wanting to make their lives just a little better. John was a very good man, not one to be soon forgotten. If you asked him how he was, he would say ‘I’ll be all right.’ I’m sure he is all right now.”
Sydney Darden, of Kidsville News! started at our company fresh out of college. John was one of the first people she met. She recalled how he always greeted her with a word of kindness and encouragement. “John was extremely special to me. As I made my entrance into the working world, John was there every day with kind words,” recalled Darden. “I can’t express how much it means to have a little extra support every day when you go to work. He also was a constant source of inspiration in his dedication to Up & Coming Weekly. Rain or shine, he was there with a smile and determination to do his best.”
National Kidsville News! Editor Joy Kirkpatrick quoted Henry van Dyke when speaking of John. “Heaven is blessed with perfect rest but the blessing of earth is toil.”
“John McCormick wasn’t afraid of hard work. He had a strong work ethic and took on all tasks with his own special joy and charisma. When you weren’t sure who else you could depend on, you knew you could count on John,” she said.
Up & Coming Weekly’s Sales Manager, Sam Lum, recalled one of John’s favorite sayings, “From the date of your birth… ‘til you ride in the hearse… things are gonna be bad… but they could always be worse.” Associate Publisher Janice Burton noted that there are a thousand things she could say about John McCormick — but believes the way he lived his life was a sermon in itself. One of the first conversations she had with John was about his church. The next conversation she had with him was about his faith, and the next, and the next and the next. “John was a man of great faith, he lived it, and more importantly, he wasn’t afraid to share it,” she said. “When I heard the news of John’s death, the only thing I could think of was John dancing down golden streets and the light on his face when he greeted the God he longed to know. It’s right to mourn a good man when he passes, but it’s easier to celebrate when you know he’s gone home.”
We could all go on and on about our wonderful friend. We will all miss John — his smiling face, his warm, embracing philosophies, the loving way he referenced his church and family, especially his loving wife, Barbara. He loved being a part of the Up & Coming Weekly family. Week after week, he proudly delivered the “good news” to this community; now, the “good news” is….he has been delivered. John would be the first to tell you “it doesn’t get any ‘gooder’ than that.”
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