John Francis McCormick, 96, passed away peacefully on
December 6, 2024 and has returned home to our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. John was born in Brooklyn, New York,
on November 16, 1928. He was the son of Thomas and
Caroline McCormick. John had nine siblings Susan,
Thomas, Caroline, Muriel, Andrew, James, Patricia, Mary
and Kathleen. John was close to all of his brothers and
sisters and attended many family functions that included 27
nieces and nephews. He loved his family name and would
greet people with the phrase, my name is, “John Francis
Thomas by the Grace of God McCormick”.
At the age of seventeen he enlisted in the United States
Navy near the end of World War ll. He served two years on
board the Destroyer Richard E. Kraus. He returned to
Brooklyn and met Sarah (Sally) Hanley and they married on
June 4, 1960.
He joined the New York City Transit Police Department in
October 1960 and rose to the rank of Detective. In 1966, he
was a founding member of The New York City Transit Police
Irish Warpipe Band. He became the Drum Major and led the
band in many events, none more important to him then the
New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. John loved Irish
history and visited Ireland often with his Irish, wife, Sally.
John and Sally had three children, John Jr., Bernadette and
Patrick. They moved to Massapequa, Long Island, in 1969,
and belonged to St. William the Abbot parish in Seaford,
Long Island. John was a devout Roman Catholic and
attended Mass every Sunday and Holy Days. He joined the
Knights of Columbus where he became a Fourth Degree
Knight.
John and Sally welcomed their first daughter-in-law, Maria,
into the family on September 17, 1983, when she married
John Francis Jr. James Wendelken was the next welcomed
addition when he married their daughter, Bernadette, on July
25, 1987. The final addition was another, Bernadette, who
married their youngest son, Patrick, on September 8, 1990.
Shortly after, he was blessed with eight beautiful
grandchildren, Sean, Cara, Meghan, Conor, Patrick Jr.,
Matthew, Mary Kate, and Sean. John was affectionately
known as “PAL”. “PAL” would show up at Christmas wearing
his Santa Hat and would love watching the kids open their
presents. He loved to attend their sporting and school
events.
Later on in his life, John was blessed with seven Great
Grandchildren, Maeve, Grace, Andrew, Jesse, John, Alex
Jr., and Madeleine.
John leaves behind his, wife, Sally, children John Jr.,
Bernadette and Patrick with his son-in-law and two daughterin-laws, eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
John “PAL ” will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved
him. All of us are grateful to have had such a great and
wonderful husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and greatgrandfathe

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