Richard McCormack

Richard Paul McCormack passed away September 29, 2011 at the age of 91 after a lengthy and stoic battle against Parkinson's disease. Richard was the son of Robert and Louise (Zehnder) McCormack of Waterbury CT. Richard was a resident of Cheshire, CT, where he lived for 61 years.

Despite his modest upbringing, Richard worked diligently to graduate from Crosby High School in Waterbury, CT, with Honors from the University of Connecticut at Storrs, and earned a Management degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1942 and served during World War II. On October 6th, 1943 he married Louise Gueble on his first furlough, and Louise then followed him to Lubbock, TX, where she worked on the Army Air Corp base so they could be together. Richard retired from Northeast Utilities as Manager of Purchasing after 32 years.

Richard will always be remembered as a wonderful, loving, husband, father, grandfather, and a true family man with a wonderful sense of humor -- punctuated with great timing. Blessed with a natural curiosity for things that surrounded him, Richard was an avid gardener during the summer and a skilled craftsman who enjoyed building full-scale model ships during the winter. He loved to tinker with all things mechanical, a hobby that filled his workshop with enough tools to fill a hardware store. Hine's Hardware of Cheshire was known to be one of his favorite getaways. Richard also was also a lifelong pet lover who always managed to find a dog or cat who needed a loving home.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Louise of Cheshire, CT and his two children, Richard McCormack and his wife Arlene of Wahiawa, HI and Lisa Martino and her husband David of Farmington, CT. He leaves behind two grandchildren, Daniel McCormack and his wife Rita, and Jesse McCormack, of Brooklyn, NY, and many cherished nieces and nephews; Joseph McGrath, Bunny Della Camera, Patricia Card, Mary Lou Hawk, Shirley Gardner, Peggy Elwood, Juliana Hart, Andrew Koss, and their families. Richard also leaves behind his constant friend and companion, Bill Rastelli of Cheshire, and another wonderful friend, Cassie Goldson. He was predeceased by his brother Robert McCormack, and his sister Bernice McGrath.

The family would like to extend a warm and heart-felt special thanks to the exceptional staff and caregivers in Station 3 at Brittany Farms Health Center. These wonderful people went above and beyond their job to provide exceptional, loving care, and truly became part of Richard's extended family during his two and one half years there. We also thank the nurses and staff at New Britain General Hospital for their compassion during Richard's last days.

A private and gentle man, the family will keep with Richard's wishes -- there will be no funeral services and a private burial. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Church St. Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, NY, 10008-0780 or Brittany Farms Health Center, Attn Station 3, 400 Brittany Farms Road, New Britain, CT, 06053.

As a tribute to Richard's generous personality, we hope that in remembrance of him friends and family do a kind deed for others the same way he did his entire life.