Robert William McCormick, 1921-2002

McCORMICK Robert W. McCormick, of Worthington, died Friday, December 13, 2002 at home. He was born December 1, 1921 in Venice, Ohio, the son of William A. and Rachel (Elmes) McCormick. He began his educational career in a Butler County one-room school and graduated from Fairfield High School in 1939. During World War II, he served as a medic with the 696th Field Artillery Battalion in Europe, earning five campaign ribbons and a bronze star. In 1947, he married Jean Schudel of Toledo and they became parents of two children, Nicola J. and Christopher W., prior to her death in 1969. In 1972, he married Virginia Evans of Newark. He received his BS and MS degrees in agricultural education from The Ohio State University. He began his teaching career at West Chester High School but soon moved to Clinton County as County Extension Agent. Attending the University of Wisconsin as a Kellogg Foundation Fellow, he earned his Ph.D.. in Adult Education in 1959. During twenty-two years as a Professor of Agricultural Education at The Ohio State University, he advised 39 Ph.D.. and 45 MS students from countries throughout the world. From 1966 until his retirement, he served as OSU Assistant Vice President for Continuing Education. In retirement, he authored seven books, including Cockney, a history of the 696th FA in World War II. He founded the Columbus World War II Roundtable, which prepared and deposited more than 115 first-person accounts with appropriate Army and Navy Military archives and with the Ohio Historical Society. He and his wife, Jennie, traveled to most of the fifty states and more than two dozen countries around the world. Among numerous community activities, he has served on the boards of the Worthington Methodist Church, the United Community Council, the Worthington Historical Society and the Ohio State University Friends of the Libraries. He is survived by his wife, Jennie of Worthington; daughter, Nicola Myers of Westerville; son, Christopher (Cheryl) McCormick of Powell; four grandchildren, Nathan Myers of Philadelphia, Andrea Myers of Chicago, Drew and Stefan McCormick of Powell; brother, Jack E. (Dorothy) McCormick of Seattle, WA. A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday, December 18, 2002 at the RUTHERFORD-CORBIN FUNERAL HOME, WORTHINGTON CHAPEL, 515 High Street, Worthington with Rev. Barbara Sholis officiating. The family will receive at the funeral home on Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make a contribution to the Thompson Library Renovation Fund in the OSU Development Office or the Worthington Historical Society.