R . I . P . Mr . McCormack
Arthur K . McCormack , 92 , of pocantico Hills , passed away peacefully at his home on may 26 , 2016 . Art was born on February 29th , in the leap year of 1924 . raised in Yonkers , new York , he attended St . Denis elementary School before enrolling in a preparatory program at Cathedral College . After high school , he spent two years at Dunwoodie Seminary and then completed his undergraduate work at manhattan College , obtaining a degree in political science . Art worked for eastern Airlines , where he quickly rose through the ranks of ticket agent , supervisor and trainer to the position of manager at the east Side Terminal . Art proved to colleagues at eastern Airlines his considerable gifts as a storyteller and teacher , and they urged him to consider the possibility that his real place in life was in education .
1979
Farewell
After completing a master ’ s program at Fordham university in 1966 , Art became a member of the Social Studies Department at Fordham preparatory School . in addition to his teaching duties , Art was the director of admissions , the financial aid coordinator , and he performed various other roles throughout his tenure . He was the first faculty representative elected to the Board of Trustees : he served from 1970 to 1996 including 20 years as its secretary . Art ’ s career at the prep spanned 44 years , and he was inducted into the school ’ s Hall of Honor in 2009 .
2002
Though he retired from full-time teaching in 1999 , Art stayed on a part-time basis as coordinator of student research , guiding students from several history courses through their research projects . He surprised much younger people by quickly mastering the intricacies of the internet .
An alumnus wrote of him : “ i learned many things from mr . mcCormack , from how he drank his coffee — black with one ice cube — to his many memorable expressions , including ‘ Take your hats off , fellas ; you never know when a flag may go by .’ i also got to know that he was a religious man , a family man , a dedicated teacher and an all-around down-to-earth person .”
Art is predeceased by his wife regina ( 2013 ), and is survived by his five children : Sean ’ 69 , Kevin ’ 71 , Kerry ’ 72 , maureen and Artie ’ 83 ; as well as seven grandchildren : Colleen , Kevin Barry , emily , matthew , madeline , Thomas and William .
We will all miss Arthur mcCormack .
Recently the Prep ’ s three Directors of Admissions shared memories and plans . L-r : Christopher Lauber ’ 79 , Arthur mcCormack and Bradley Serton ’ 95 .
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