Born to Paul John and Irene (Bess) McCormick on November 19, 1931 in Independence Township, NY, in a house on the farmland he would call home for the next 87 years.
Starting school at age 4, he walked with his brothers or rode his horse to the Independence Country School. After graduating from Andover Central School in 1949, he continued to work on the family farm. In 1955, he was drafted into the United States Navy, where he served for two years out of the Norfolk, Virginia Naval Base.
He met Charity Ann Howland on New Year’s Eve in 1957. Their courtship continued long distance via Mohawk Airlines from New York City, until they married on October 10, 1959, at Blessed Sacrament Church in Andover, NY. Unbeknownst to him, his mother Irene had long before identified his bride, saving Charity’s 8th grade photograph in her wallet.
Together they made their life on the family farm that he purchased from his parents. It continued to operate as a dairy until 1966, when he sold the cows and bought beef cattle. He then joined Turbodyne in Wellsville, working primarily on the evening shift until retirement in 1993. Throughout this time, he had two jobs: 8 hours in the factory and 8+ hours on the farm, raising cattle, growing hay, and making New York State’s finest maple syrup.
He was a member of the Wellsville Knights of Columbus Council 919, serving as Grand Knight and its favorite bartender. In 1955 he became a 4th degree member of the Olean Knights of Columbus Council 338. He was a lifelong member of Blessed Sacrament Church in Andover and served on the Andover Central School Board from 1979-1982.
He will be lovingly remembered as a gentleman and as a gentle man by his wife of 59 years, Charity, and his children Maureen (James) Gavin of Wilmington, N.C., Paul Michael (Tammy) McCormick in Andover, Megan McCormick of Rochester and Maryanne (Thomas) Kalil of Lafayette, Calif. He will be forever cherished by the luckiest grandchildren in the world, Paul William, Leah, and Sara McCormick, and Madeline and John Kalil. He will be missed by his brother, Neil (Patricia) McCormick of Tavares, Fla., sister-in-law Mary Howland of Irvine, Calif, brothers-in-law Michael Keith (Ann) Howland of Kennebunk, Maine and Patrick (Alice) Howland in Andover. He was also blessed by a multitude of nieces and nephews.
Paul was predeceased by his parents, by a brother Robert and his wife Mary Teresa Burns, by nephew and niece Thomas and Cathleen McCormick, by brother-in-law Charles R. Howland and his wife Sandra Joyce, and by nephew Michael J. Howland.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be sent to Immaculate Conception School in Wellsville, Hart Comfort House in Wellsville, or Allegany County Cancer Services, Inc. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
Calling hours are Sunday January 20 at Baker-Swan Funeral Home in Andover from 2-4 p.m., and 6-8 p.m. The funeral mass will be 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 21 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Andover. At Paul’s request, his burial will be at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Andover, on Saturday July 6, 2019.
